After all these years Book Two
by Are you calling me crazy
Summary: Levina SnowPetal has returned for her second year at Hogwarts, but strange events are occuring. Students are becoming petrified, messages are being written on walls, and Hogwarts is pronounced to be no longer safe. Not to mention the fact that there's an enormous beast wandering about the school, leaving no Mudblood safe and secure.
1. The grand entrance to Hogwarts

**Welcome back, guys! **

**If you have not read book one, then I advise you do it _right now. _**

**Disclaimer: As said in the first book of this series, I don't own Harry Potter. Seriously. I know it sounds crazy, but I really don't.**

**Enjoy the story :)**

* * *

"I can't believe I had to drive you all the way to this stupid 'magic' thing."

"I thought you didn't talk to me?"

Anna glared at Levina fiercly with her soapy-blue eyes, her blonde hair whipping around in the wind.

"I don't, but that doesn't mean I can't."

Levina rolled her eyes. Anna was never exactly the best cousin one could hope for; she rarely spoke to Levina unless she had to.

Staring down at her list of items to get for Hogwarts, Levina noticed an abnormal amount of books by someone named "Gilderoy Lockhart."

"Mew," Lilypad, Levina's pet black cat announced. Lilypad had grown a lot since the previous year, and now she had a long, slim figure and sleek black fur. The ribbon with a bell attatched from Hagrid at Christmas last year still hung around her neck.

Levina was a witch. Her mother had been murdered by the dark lord Voldemort and her father had left her with a muggle family that she was apparently related to, which Levina didn't understand, since they were purebloods. It was still unknown what happened to Levina's father, but the most likely presumption was that Voldemort tracked him down and killed him, too.

She hadn't changed much since the previous year. Her long brown hair was roughly the same length as before, and her chocolate brown eyes were certainly no different. According to measurements, however, she had grown an inch or less over the summer.

Anna was shouting something. Levina looked to her right to find her cousin angrily cursing at an owl, which had apparently nipped her finger when she tried to pet it.

She and her cousin Anna were heading through Diagon Alley, picking up books that they would need that year, most of which were by Lockhart, who was apparently appearing that day in the bookstore for autographs. Anna certainly had no desire to take her, but her parents decided that since she had gotten her license that she was so proud of, she would drive Levina to Diagon Alley, where they got to the actual place with the help of Floo powder that Hagrid showed them how to use. (They ran into him along the way, but he had business in somewhere called "Knockturn Alley")

"Levina!"

Levina looked away from her cousin and tried to figure out who had called her name.

"Over here!"

Turning to her left, Levina found Harry, Ron, and Hermione, all running towards her with wide grins.

"Harry, Ron, Hermione!" said Levina, running up to greet them. Anna followed close behind, looking annoyed.

"Ah, good, you found people like you," said Anna. "I'll take my leave then."

With that, Anna turned on her heel, her pink ruffly skirt waving, and left. Levina wondered if she still had Floo Powder with her to get home.

"Who was that?" asked Ron.

"My cousin," said Levina coldly. "But nevermind her, it's great to see you guys!"

Together, they headed down the rows of buildings, looking in at Quidditch brooms. Harry bought the four of them strawberry-and-peanut-butter ice creams, which they slurped happily while exploring.

"How come you haven't returned any of my letters?" Levina asked, feeling hurt.

Harry explained to her about the elf-thing named Dobby that told him not to go back to Hogwarts.

"That's odd," Levina commented. "I wonder why...?"

As they headed by the book shop, there was a sign saying "Gilderoy Lockhart will be signing copies of his autobiography 'Magical Me' at 12:30 pm to 4:30 pm."

"We can actually meet him!" Hermione squealed. "I mean, he's written almost the whole booklist!"

"Umm, who is he exactly?"

Hermione looked horrified.

"He's the guy who wrote all of these books, of course! Oh, we have to meet him!"

"Still wearing that?" Ron commented suddenly.

"What? Oh..." Levina fingered the ocean-blue necklace hanging around her neck. "Well, I admit that I didn't wear it much this summer, but about a week ago, I blew up some glass vases in a store when these guys were picking on me, so I decided it's better if I wear it..."

Ron laughed at this but Hermione shook her head. "Remember to not use magic outside of school, Levina! You could be expelled!"

"Oh, there you are, good," said Miss Weasley, patting her hair down looking breathless, and when she spotted Levina, she added, "Oh, hello, dear! Getting your books for this year?"

"Yes," said Levina, smiling.

"How was life with the Muggles?"

"Not too bad; I think my Aunt feels threatened by me now."

Heading inside the building, in the middle of all of the commotion, sat a man with wavy hair, dazzling white teeth, and forget-me-not blue robes that matched his eyes exactly. Around him, there were many pictures of him, smiling and waving to the crowd.

"Out of the way, there," a photographer snarled at Ron, moving forward to get a better shot. "This is for the _Daily Prophet-"_

"Big deal," said Ron, rubbing his foot where the photographer had stepped on it.

Gilderoy Lockhart heard him. He looked up. He saw Ron- and then he saw Harry. He stared. Then he leapt to his feet and positively shouted, "It _can't _be Harry Potter?"

Lockhart seized Harry's arm and pulled him onto the stage, shaking his hand as the photographer snapped away wildly.

Harry looked incredibly awkward as the light flashed into his eyes, his face reddening.

"Nice big smile, Harry," said Lockhart, and Levina ducked out of sight behind Ron, shooting Harry and apologetic look. The last thing she needed was for Lockhart to see her and make her take pictures, too.

"Ladies and gentlemen, what an extraordinary moment this is!"

Ignoring whatever Lockhart was rambling on about, Levina headed through the crowd, trying to escape. She tripped.

"-I will be taking up the post of Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher at Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry!"

Levina, horrified, made a mistake in whirling around to looke at Lockhart, wide-eyed as the room burst into cheering and applause. _He _was the new Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher?

"-and-and is that Levina SnowPetal?" Lockhart shouted. Levina froze for a moment in fear, then bolted. She stumbled over to Harry in a haste, who was making his way over to Ginny and handing her his free books from Lockhart. She crashed into them, knocking the pair over.

"Sorry, Harry, Ginny!" she said apologetically, scooping up the fallen books.

"No, it's fine. Anyway, you have these. I'll by my own-"

"Bet you loved that, didn't you, Potter?" said a very familiar voice. Levina turned to find Draco Malfoy, a smirk on his face.

"_Famous _Harry Potter," said Draco. "Can't even go into a _bookshop _without making the front page."

"Leave him alone, he didn't want all that!" said Ginny. It was the first time she had spoken in front of Harry. She was glaring at Malfoy.

"Potter, you've got yourself a _girlfriend!" _drawled Draco. Ginny went scarlett.

"Jealous?" sneered Levina.

Draco looked at her and his grey eyes looked surprised. Apparently he hadn't noticed her.

"Oh, look, and it's SnowPetal too," said Draco. "Bet you wished you were as famous, then you could have been in the picture too."

Levina snorted. "Not everyone is as envious of fame as you, you know."

"Oh, it's you," said Ron, fighting his way over with Hermione, looking at Draco as if he were some disgusting thing on the bottom of his shoe. "Bet you're surprised to see Harry here, eh?"

"Not as surprised as I am to see you in a shop, Weasley," retorted Draco. "I suppose your parents will go hungry for a month to pay for all of those."

Ron went red in the face and put his books in the cauldron, starting towards Draco. Levina, Hermione, and Harry held him back.

"Ron!" said Mr. Weasley, who was struggling over with Fred and George. "What are you doing? It's too crowded in here, let's go outside."

"Well, well, well-Arthur Weasley."

It was Mr. Malfoy. He stood with his hand on Draco's shoulder, sneering in just the same way.

"Lucius," said Mr. Wasley, nodding coldly.

"Busy time at the Ministery, I hear," said Mr. Malfoy. "All those raids...I hope they're paying you overtime?"

He reached into Ginny's cauldron and extracted, from amid the glossy Lockhart books, a very old, battered copy of _A Beginner's Guide to Transfiguration._

"Obviously not," said Mr. Malfoy. "Dear me, what's the use of being a disgrace to the name of wizard if they don't even pay you well for it?"

Mr. Weasley flushed darker than Ron or Ginny.

"We have a very different idea of what disgraces the name of wizard, Malfoy."

"Clearly," said Mr. Malfoy, his eyes straying to Mr. and Mrs. Granger. "The company you keep, Weasley...and I thought your family could sink no lower-"

There was a thud of Ginny's cauldron as it went flying; Mr. Weasley had thrown himself on Mr. Malfoy, knocking him back against the bookshelf.

"Get him, dad!" The Weasley twins shouted.

"No, Arthur!" shrieked Mrs. Weasley.

"Gentlemen, please-please!" cried the assistant, as the crowd of people stampeded backward, knocking more shelves over.

"Whoo! Go Mr. Weasley!" Levina called. Draco flashed her a glowering look.

"Break it up there, gents, break it up-"

Hagrid had dragged the pair apart to reveal that Mr. Weasley had a split lip, and Mr. Malfoy had a black eye. He flung the Transfiguration book back at Ginny, malice glittering in his eyes.

"Here, girl-take your book-it's the best your father can give you-" Pulling himself out of Hagrid's grip, he beckoned to Draco and on his way out of the shop, he caught notice of Levina.

Levina swallowed hard in fear, but he merely gave her one look, snorted, and dragged Draco from the shop, who gave Levina one last unreadable glance.

"Yeh should've ignored him, Arthur," said Hagrid, almost lifting Mr. Weasley off his feet. "Rotten ter the core, the whole family, everyone knows that-no Malfoy's worth listenin' ter-bad blood, that's what it is-come on now-let's get outta here."

They headed out and hurried up the street, the Granger's looking terrified and Mrs. Weasley beside herself with fury.

"A _fine _example to set for your children..._brawling _in public..._what _Gilderoy Lockhart must've thought-"

"He was pleased," said Fred. "Didn't you hear him as we were leaving? He was asking that bloke from _The Daily Prophet _if he'd be able to work the fight into his report-said it was all publicity-"

As they said goodbye to the Grangers, Levina tied her necklace tightly around her neck and sighed. Floo powder wasn't exactly the best way of traveling.

* * *

Levina was sad to leave the Burrow in a month (she'd stayed there instead of going home), but it was nothing compared to her excitement in going back to Hogwarts again. She'd been anticipating her return all summer, writing letters to the others and recalling all of their fun times.

She wasn't paying much attention to the current situation at King's Cross, but a sudden _CRASH! _startled her into reality. She looked over at Harry and Ron, who were sprawled on the ground uncomfortably, their stuff scattered.

"Guys, what the-?" Levina yelped. Lillypad hissed from inside her carrier and her black fur bristled.

"What in the blazes d'you think you're doing?" A guard nearby yelled.

"Lost control of the trolley," gasped Harry, eyes watering in pain.

"Wrong wall?" Levina asked.

"No," said Harry, looking up at the sign. "Why can't we get through?"

"I dunno-" said Ron.

A dozen people around them were watching.

"We're going to miss the train," Ron whispered. "I don't understand why the gateway's sealed itself-"

Levina sized up the wall and knocked on it experimentally. "Alohomora?" she asked it hesitantly, but nothing happened.

"Harry!" Ron was saying behind her suddenly. "The car!"

"What about it?"

"We can fly the car to Hogwarts!"

"But I thought-"

"We're stuck, right? And we've got to get to the school, haven't we? And even underage wizards are allowed to use magic if it's a real emergency, section nineteen or something of the Restriction thingy-"

"But your mum and dad," said Harry. "How will they get home?"

"They don't need the car! They know how to Apparate! You know, just vanish and appear at home! They only bother with Floo Powder and the car because we're all underage and not allowed to Apparate yet..."

"Brilliant!" said Levina.

"Can you fly it?" said Harry eagerly.

"No problem," said Ron, turning away with his trolley. "C'mon, let's go. If we hurry we'll be able to follow the Hogwarts Express-"

And they marched off through the crowd of curious Muggles and back to the car. They heaved their luggage in the back and Levina climbed into the back seat, taking Lilypad out of her cage and placing her in her lap.

Ron pressed a tiny silver button and the car vanished from sight-and so did they.

Flying up into the air, Levina watched as the ground dropped out of sight as they rose.

"Uh-oh," said Ron. "It's faulty-"

Levina glanced around them: The car was flashing in and out of sight!

"The Muggles!" Levina reminded Ron, and he shouted, "Hold on!" and slammed his foot on the accelerator.

They shot straight into the low clouds, out of sight, and Levina relaxed back against her chair, heart thudding in her chest.

"Now what?" said Harry.

"We need to see the train to know what direction to go in," said Ron.

"Dip back down again-quickly-"

They dropped back beneath the clouds and Levina squinted down far below. Lilypad mewed uncomfortably and Levina placed her back in her carrier.

"I see it!" yelled Harry. "Right ahead-there!"

A minute later, they burst into a ray of sunlight.

"Now all we have to worry about are airplanes," said Ron.

Levina didn't know when it happened, but she fell asleep.

_She had an odd dream of a man in a black cloak, rushing through the rain up to a dark building. He was holding something in a bundle-possibly a loaf of bread- and he was running in a haste._

_In a panic, he knocked on the door frantically, rain clinging to his cloak and running down the sides of it._

_The door opened just a crack, and Levina couldn't make out what the other person looked like._

Suddenly, there was a great crashing noise, and Levina jolted awake.

Levina found herself back in the car again, which was soaring downwards toward a great tall tree down at the Hogwarts' grounds.

"What on earth-?"

CRUNCH.

They crashed. Branches smashed the windows and Levina shrieked in terror as glass showered over her. She felt a branch narrowly scrape her arm, a small trickle of blood left behind.

Lilypad was trembling in her cage, and Hedwig was screeching beside her.

"Are you guys okay?" Harry said urgently.

"Yeah, I'm fine-but what the heck did you two _do_?" Levina demanded.

"My wand," said Ron in a shaky voice. "Look at my wand-"

It had snapped, almost in two_, _the tip dangling limply, held on by merely a few splinters.

"_WHAT DID YOU-" _Levina began again in frustration, but she was cut off as a force much like a charging bull hit the side of the car, sending Levina into the oppostie door with a _whack!_

"What's happen-?" gasped Ron, but a sudden tree branch as thick as a python smashed into the windshield. The tree was attacking them!

Another branch came hurtling straight at Levina's windshield, smashing the glass and sending shards into Levina's skin; she shrieked and ducked, covering her eyes as the glass stuck to her hands and arms.

"Run for it!" Ron shouted.

"Run _where_?" Levina screamed back. She buried her head in between her knees and lowered herself away from the windows, where the branches continued to angrily slam into them.

"_Reverse!"_ Yelled Harry, being the only sensible one in the current situation, and the car shot backward and out of reach of the tree, slamming onto the ground.

Levina struggled, trembling, into a sitting position, wincing in pain.

"That," panted Ron, "was close. Well done, car-"

With two sharp clunks, the doors flew open and the car tipped sideways: In the next instant her face met the damp ground.

Loud thuds signaled them that the car had ejected their luggage, Lilypad hissed as she landed, fur askew, next to Levina.

Then, dented, scratched, and steaming, the car rumbled off into the darkness, its rea lights blazing angrily.

"Come back!" Ron yelled after it. "Dad'll kill me!"

The car dissappeared from view and Levina, moaning in pain, rolled over and staggered to her feet.

"Can you _believe _our luck?" said Ron miserably, bending down to pick up Scabbers. "Out of all the trees we could've hit, we had to get one that hits back."

"Come on," said Harry, "we'd better get up to the school..."

Heading up the front steps, they peered into the Great Hall, where the Sorting had begun.

"Now then," Levina muttered in frustration, picking shards of glass from her hands and wincing, "mind telling me what happened?"

"The engine died," Ron replied with a feeble shrug. Neither Ron nor Harry seemed to feel up to discussing it.

"Are you okay?" asked Harry, reaching forward to pull a shard of glass from Levina's sleeve. Levina yelped when he touched it and jerked away, since it was deeper in than the others.

"F-fine," Levina lied.

"Hang on," said Harry. "Where's Snape?"

Levina peeked into the Great Hall, and, indeed, there was one empty chair with its occupant missing.

"Maybe he's ill!" said Ron hopefully.

"Maybe he's _left," _said Harry, "because he missed out on the Defense Against the Dark Arts job _again!"_

"Or he might have been _sacked," _said Ron enthusiastically. "I mean, everyone hates him-"

"Or maybe he was critically injured," said Levina, beaming eagerly. "Ha! What if one of his potions went wrong, wouldn't that be ironic-?"

"Or maybe," said a very cold voice behind them, "he's waiting to hear why you three didn't arrive on the school train."

Levina spun around in sheer horror: Severus Snape, hook-nosed and greasy-haired, stood behind them, smiling horribly down at them.

"Oh," squeaked Levina in a barely audible voice, terrified, "hi."

"Follow me," said Snape.

Heading into the dungeons, Levina could only think of one thing: _We're going to be expelled._

Then, she began thinking insane thoughts. What if their punishment, seeing as they were heading to the dungeons, was that they were going to be beaten? Or, what if they were forced to go back to the big tree that attacked them again?

They entered into his office, which was deathly cold, and he slammed the door behind them. Levina swallowed hard.

"So," he said softly, "the train isn't good enough for the famous Harry Potter, Levina SnowPetal, and their faithful sidekick Weasley. Wanted to arrive with a _bang, _did we, boys?"

Normally, Levina would have added, 'And girl,' but she was too fear-stricken to speak.

"No, sir, it was the barrier at King's Cross, it-"

"_Silence_!" said Snape coldly. "What have you done with the car?"

"What car?" Levina asked feebly, entirely losing her mind.

Snape unrolled today's issue of the_ Evening Prophet._

"You were seen," he hissed, showing them the headline: _FLYING FORD ANGLIA MYSTIFIES MUGGLES._

He began to read it out loud, and Levina shuffled her feet uncomfortably, hanging her head in shame.

"I noticed, in my search of the park, that considerable damage seems to have been done to a very valuable Whomping Willow."

"That tree did more damage _to _us than-" Ron blurted out.

_"Silence_!" snapped Snape again. "Most unfortunately, you are not in my House and the decision to expel you does not rest with me. I shall go go and fetch the people _who _do have that happy power. You will wait here."

He turned on his heel to leave, and on his way out, he stopped in front of Levina abruptly. He stared hook-nosed down at her and his eyes widened. Levina realized he was looking at the necklace around her neck.

"That's..." he trailed off and turned away, apparently deciding against whatever he was going to say.

Levina frowned, slightly confused, but didn't say anything. She kept her gaze down, feeling as though she would rather still be in the Whomping Willow. She tugged at a shard of glass on her hand and flinched in pain. She took that thought back.

But...did Snape know something about her necklace? Or...what its purpose was?

Ten minutes later, Snape returned, and sure enough, he was accompanied by Proffessor McGonagall, who looked more angry than Levina knew possible.

"Sit," she said, and they backed into chairs by the fire.

"Explain," she said, her glasses glinting ominously.

Ron launched into the story starting from the barrier at the train.

"Why didn't you send us a letter by owl? I believe _you _have an owl?" Proffessor McGonagall eyed Harry coldly.

"I-I didn't think-"

"That," said Proffessor McGonagall, "Is obvious."

The door opened and in marched Snape, looking enormously happy, and Dumbledore, who looked quite the opposite.

After a long moment of silence, Dumbledore said,"Please explain why you did this."

Levina heaved a sigh as Harry began to explain yet again their story to Dumbledore. In the end of it, though, Dumbledore said nothing.

"We'll go and get our stuff," said Ron in a hopeless voice.

"What are you talking about, Weasley?" barked Proffessor McGonagall.

"Well, you're expelling us, aren't you?" said Ron.

"Not today, Mr. Weasley," said Dumbledore. "But I must impress upon all of you the seriousness of what you have done. I will be writing to your families tonight. I must also warn you that if you do anything like this again, I will have no choice but to expell you."

Snape looked as though Christmas had been canceled. "Proffessor Dumbledore, these boys ("AND girl," Levina added, gaining confidence.) have flouted the Decree for Restriction of Underage Wizardry, caused serious damage to an old and valuable tree-surely acts of this nature-"

"It will be for Proffessor McGonagall to decide on their punishments, Severus," said Dumbledore calmly. "They are in her House and are therefore her responsibility." He turned to Proffessor McGonagall. "I must go back to the feast, Minerva, I've got to give out a few notices. Come, Severus, there's a delicious-looking custart tart I want to sample-"

Snape shot a look of pure venom at Harry, Ron, and levina as he allowed himself to be swept out of his office, leaving them alone with Professor McGonagall, who was eyeing them like a wrathful eagle.

"You'd better get along to the hospital wing, Weasley, you're bleeding-and SnowPetal, good Heavens, child, you're covered in glass!"

"Not much," said Ron, hastily wiping the cut over his eye with his sleeve as Levina yet again attempted to pry a shard of glass from her arm. "Proffessor, I wanted to watch my sister being sorted-"

"The Sorting Ceremony is over," said Proffessor McGonagall. "Your sister is also in Gryffindor."

"Oh, good," said Ron.

"And speaking of Gryffindor-" Proffessor McGonagall said sharply, but Harry cut in: "Proffessor, when we took the car, term hadn't started, so-so Gryffindor really shouldn't have points taken from it-should it?"

"I will not take any points from Gryffindor, but you will all get a detention."

It was much better than Levina had expected, and as for Dumbledore writing home, her family honestly wouldn't care much anyway.

Proffessor McGonagall raised her wand and pointed it at Snape's desk. A large plate of sandwiches, two silver goblets, and a jug of iced pumpkin juice appeared with a pop.

"You will eat in here and then go straight to your dormitory," she said. "I must also return to the feast."

Levina hadn't known how hungry she was until she took a large bite of ham and chicken.

"I thought we'd had it," said Ron, grabbing a sandwich.

"So did I," said Harry.

"That was a lot better than I expected," said Levina.

"Can you believe our luck, though?" said Ron through a mouthful of meat. "Fred and George must've flown that car five or six times and no Muggle ever saw _them." _He took another huge bite and swallowed. "_Why _couldn't we get through the barrier?"

Harry shrugged. "We'll have to watch our step from now on, though," he said, taking a greatful swig of pumpkin juice. "Wish we could've gone up to the feast..."

"She didn't want us showing off," said Ron sagely. "Doesn't want people to think it's clever, arriving by flying car."

"That wasn't _our _decision, though," Levina pointed out as she took a second large bite of chicken. "And anyway, did you notice how Snape was looking at my necklace? Do you think he knows anything about my 'condition'?"

Harry frowned. "I dunno, but I definetly wouldn't ask him."

"Especially not right now," Ron added.

After eating as many sandiwches as they could, they headed up the narrow flight of stone stairs, until they reached the door to the secret dormitory.

"Password?" said the fat lady portrait.

"Er-" said Harry.

They never found a prefect to give them the password.

"Open Sesame?" Levina asked tentatively.

"Nice try," said the portrait.

Apparently they didn't need a prefect, however, for Hermione came rushing towards them.

"_There _you are! Where have you _been?_ The most _ridiculous _rumors-someone said you'd been expelled for crashing a flying _car_-"

"Well, we haven't been expelled," Harry assured her.

"You're not telling me you _did _fly here?" said Hermione, as severe as Proffessor McGonagall.

"Maybe," said Levina.

"Skip the lecture," said Ron impatiently, "and tell us the new password."

"It's 'wattlebird','" said Hermione impatiently, "but that's not the point-"

Hermione was cut off as there was a sudden storm of clapping when the portrait slid open, as if they were being greeted after a brilliant game of Quidditch.

"Brilliant!" yelled Lee Jordan. "Inspired! What an entrance! Flying a car right into the Whomping Willow, people'll be talking about that one for years-"

"Good for you," said a fifth year Levina had never met. She smiled awkwardly.

"Why couldn't we have come in the car, eh?" said Fred and George, coming up from the crowd.

Levina happily began to make conversation, but when she caught sight of Harry and Ron leaving for bed, and noticed Percy's disapproving eyes, she waved goodnight and headed into her dormitory.

Untying her necklace, Levina felt a mild power surge, like a mere spark had flickered in her muscles. She undressed and climbed into bed, pulling up the covers and sliding her parent's picture under the pillow, Lilypad springing up and onto the bed and curling up beside her.

"I would have thought at least _you _of all people, being a _girl..._but, no, you just had to-"

Hermione was storming into the room, looking furious.

"I fell asleep," said Levina matter-a-factly.

Hermione's eyes widened. "You slept while _they _were driving a flying car? How _could _you?"

"It just happened." Levina pulled the covers over her head and added, muffled, "Look, I've had a long day...can we talk about this some other time?"

Obviously Hermione had every intent to grill Levina till the dawn of day, but she decided against it and, with a frustrated look at Levina, she, too, curled up for sleep.

_A crazy start to a crazy year, _thought Levina.

* * *

**How was it? Sorry this chapter took so long, but I really hope you enjoyed it! Leave a review (:**


	2. Mudbloods?

****

Hey people! Yeah, I'm back in business :) Sorry for taking so long...I've had SO much to do and lots of studying...blehh...

**To Dcas1234: Thanks! The problem with my story is that it goes by the book, and Draco isn't in "The Chamber of Secrets" much. Nevertheless, I will certainly try to add more scenes, but the later books will have more romance-ish stuff, though, since Levina and Draco will be getting older. THANKS! :)**

**Flyingwerecats: Thanks for understanding-ughh I have SO much work on my plate...Yeah, I like longer chapters- they're more fun :) And, yes, perhaps Levina shall see Dobby, too, but you'll have to read to find out! :D **

**Disclaimer: I DO NOT OWN HARRY POTTER, DRACO, OR JK ROWLING (lol), SO DON'T SUE ME AND STUFF! **

**Ok then, on with the story! (Do I always say that?)**

* * *

Levina stumbled over her own robes and crashed through the greenhouse doors, landing face-first on the ground and recieving a mouth-full of dirt.

Proffessor Sprout made a dissapproving clicking sound, helping Levina stand up. "In a rush, are we?"

Levina felt her face burning red. "I-I slept late this morning..."

Settling in next to Hermione, Levina hid her expression away from the others and listened at attention to the instructions. Truth be told, Levina had been having insomnia that night. Nightmares had invaded her sleep and kept her up most of the night, including the same memory of the man and the bundle in the cloak.

"Late-sleeper?" Ron suggested. Levina didn't say anything.

Getting to work, Levina blocked out most of the conversation, drowning in her own thoughts. The rest of the day seemed the same, her thoughts making everything around her hazy. When the lunch bell rang, she was relieved to get a break from her mind to chat, laughing about Hermione drawing hearts around Lockhart's lessons, pretending to barf.

Out in the courtyard, Levina read _Voyages with Vampires _over Hermione's shoulder, but a boy approached their group, holding a muggle-looking camera.

"All right, Harry? I'm-I'm Colin Creevey. I'm a Gryffindor, too. D'you think-would it be all right if- can I have a picture?"

"A picture?" said Harry blankly.

"So I can prove I met you," said Colin eagerly. he began chattering on about everything he knew, stirring a twitch in her eye. "-And then, could you sign it?"

"_Signed photos? _You're giving out _signed photos, _Potter?"

Draco Malfoy had stopped right behind Colin, flanked by Crabbe and Goyle.

"Everyone line up!" Malfoy roared to the crowd. "Harry Potter's giving out signed photos!"

"No I'm not," said Harry angrily. "Shut up, malfoy."

"You're just jealous," piped up Colin, whose entire body was about as thick as Crabbe's neck.

"_Jealous?_" said Malfoy. "Of what? I don't want a foul scar across my head, thanks. I don't think getting your head cut open makes you that special, myself."

"If you really thought that," said Levina in frustration, standing up and striding up to him angrily, "then you wouldn't be constantly trying to make yourself look better than Harry."

Draco flushed pink. He advanced towards her angrily, Crabbe and Goyle following, but Levina held out her wand.

"Leave her alone!" Colin ordered without much of a menacing appearance.

"Eat slugs, Malfoy," said Ron angrily.

"Be careful, Weasley," sneered Malfoy. "You don't want to start any trouble or you'll Mommy'll have to come and take you away from school." He put on a shrill, piercing voice. "_If you put another toe out of line-"_

"Weasley would like a signed photo, Potter," smirked Malfoy. "It'd be worth more than his family's whole house."

"What's all this, what's all this?" said Gilderoy Lockhart, striding over towards them. "Who's giving out signed photos?"

Colin leaned in next to Levina and whispered, "Can I have your picture, too?"

Levina made a face. "No."

"Shouldn't have asked! We meet again, Harry!" Lockhart put an arm on Harry's shoulder. "Come on then, Mr. Creevey. A double portrait, you can do better than that, and we'll _both _sign it for you."

Levina sunk into the crowd of people, still praying Lockhart wouldn't spot her.

The bell rang and Levina felt relief overwhelm her. Rushing to the next class, Levina groaned to find that it was Lockhart's class. Sliding in next to Harry, who looked incredibly irrate, and Hermione and Ron.

Lockhart began handing out a quiz, smiling brightly and blabbing about his accomplishments. Suddenly, he took notice of Levina and beamed.

"Levina SnowPetal! How nice to finally meet you!" He strode over to her desk and held out his hand. Levina didn't take it.

"Surely, surely, the famous Levina SnowPetal is not friends with the famous Harry Potter?" he asked, hand still out, unfazed.

"Yeah, I am," Levina mumbled in irritation, face burning.

"Wonderful, brilliant!" Lockhart strode to the front of the class, leaving Levina feeling like tearing up the quiz.

Levina scanned the questions, which were all abut Lockhart's favorite colors or ambitions. For each one, Levina wrote either a guess or 'I don't know.'

Lockhart looked fully dissappointed with the results, but beamed with satisfaction when he got to Hermione's.

"Excellent! Quite excellent! Take ten points to Gryffindor! And so-to business-"

He lifted a large, covered cage onto the desk and began discussing how horrible the creatures were. Dramatically, he lifted up the cage. "-Freshly caught Cornish Pixies."

Levina smirked. Seamus Finnigan snorted loudly.

"Yes?"

"Well-they're not very-dangerous-are they?" Seamus chortled.

"Right then," he said loudly. "Let's see what you make of them!" he opened the cage.

Levina gasped and ducked as a pixie shot over her head.

"Come on now-round them up, round them up, they're only pixies."

One of the pixies seized his wand and threw it out of the window. He gulped and ducked under his desk, Neville hanging from the chandelier now.

"Not good," Levina pointed out. Ducking to avoid a plant sailing directly at her, she jinxed one of them and held up her library book as a shield.

"Well, I'll ask you four to nip the rest of them back into their cage," said Lockhart as the bell rang. He swept past them and fled through the door, slamming it.

"What a coward!" Levina commented.

"Can you _believe _him?" Ron roared.

"He just wants to give us some hands-on experience," said Hermione, immobolizing two pixies and stuffing them back in their cage.

_"Hands on?" _said Harry. "Hermione, he didn't have a clue what he was doing-"

"Rubbish," said Hermione. "You've read his books-look at all those amazing things he's done-"

"He _says _he's done," Ron muttered.

"He's a fraud," Levina agreed.

* * *

"You're _what?"_

"I'm a third Beater."

"Do the Slytherins and Hufflepuffs have an extra?"

"Yes."

Levina was beaming with pride. Just recently, Oliver Wood had accepted her onto the Gryffindor teams as a third Beater. All the other teams, of course, however, got an extra as well.

"Fred, George, and Levina," Wood announced happily. "And Harry! This'll be our best year yet."

Levina beamed happily. "Thanks, Oliver."

Skimming through the pages of a Quidditch book, there was a sudden uproar of anger. Levina looked up to see the Slytherin team heading onto the field.

"Flint!" Wood bellowed. "This is our time! We got up specially. You can clear off now!"

"Plenty of room for all of us, Wood."

"But I booked it! I booked it!"

"But I got specially signed note from Proffessor Snape. We need to train our new Seeker."

"You've got a new Seeker?" said Wood, distracted. "Where?"

Smirking, appearing from behind the others, appeared Draco Malfoy.

Levina gasped. "No! Not him! No!"

"Aren't you Lucius Malfoy's son?" said Fred with dislike.

"Funny you should mention Draco's father...let me show you the generous gift he's given to the Slytherin team."

The entire team was holding Nimbus Two Thousand and Ones.

None of the Gryffindors said anything.

"Oooh, new brooms," saud Levina in mock-awe. "That sure replaces talent."

Flint glared at her but took notice of something behind her. "Oh look, a field invasion."

Ron and Hermione were rushing over.

"What's happening?" asked Ron. "Why aren't you playing? And what's _he _doing here?"

"I'm the new Seeker, Weasley," said Malfoy. "Everyone's just been admiring the brooms my father's bought our team."

Ron gaped open-mouthed at the superb brooms.

"Good, aren't they?" said Malfoy smoothly. "But perhaps the Gryffindor team will be able to raise some gold and get new brooms, too. You could raffle off those Cleansweeps Fives; a museum would bid for them."

The Slytherin team howeled with laughter.

"At leastno one on the Gryffindor team had to _buy _their way in. They got in on pure talent."

The smug look on Malfoy's features flickered.

"No one asked your oppinion, you filthy little Mudblood."

Levina had no idea what the word meant, but in the next instant, everyone was charging at him, attempting to attack him and shouting. Levina, bewildered, exchanged a confused glance with Harry and Hermione.

There was a loud bang and Ron was thrust backwards.

"Ron, Ron!" shouted Hermione.

Ron opened his mouth and belched; a slug fell from his mouth.

Levina felt her face go a chalky white color. "Err-that-eww!"

The Slytherins were paralyzed with laughter. Levina shot them a frustrated glare, rolling her eyes.

"We'd better get him to Hagrid's, it's nearest," Harry suggested.

Together, they helped him to Hagrid's hut, shoving Colin aside as he tried to take a picture of Ron.

Inside the cabin, Levina stayed in the corner of the room, her face white and her hair standing on end. Easily grossed out, Levina had nothing to do with the situation, feeling as though she herself might pass out.

"He didn'!"

"He did."

"It's about the most insulting thing he can think of! Mudblood's a really foul name for someone Muggle-born-you know, non magic parents.

It was explained that a 'Mudblood' was an incredibly rude thing to call someone who had muggle parents, someone of non-pure blood.

* * *

The rest of the day was pretty easy-going for the most part, that is, until they had to serve detentions-Ron, with Filch, scrubbing pots. Harry, with Lockhart, answering fan mail, and Levina, with Snape, chopping ingredients for potions class.

Levina dragged her feet all the way to detention, knocking lightly on the door.

Snape opened the door, smirking. He was holding a knife and several ingredients that needed slicing.

"It appears that the trio of friends cannot stay out of trouble, can they?"

"No...sir," she added.

Heading over to an empty table, she began slicing some sort of bean plant into even chunks, the slick insides slippery and hard to cut.

Snape merely acted as though she were not there, for the most part, writing something on a piece of paper, making notes in a book, and reading something.

_Whatever Ron and Harry are doing, it must be a lot better than this, _Levina thought bitterly. Slipping with the knife, she accidently mis-aimed and stabbed her finger.

"OW!"

Snape jolted, forgetting she was there, and made a face. "Stupid girl! You slice them, not stab them!"

"I know that now," Levina muttered through gritted teeth, rubbing her finger on a cloth.

Continuing her work, Levina wondered how much time had passed, but by the time it was finally over with, it had been several hours.

Turning in the ingredients with sore hands, Levina headed out and back upstairs, into the common room, and found that Ron and Harry were not yet back.

When they had returned, Harry first, they were too exhausted to chat much, but Harry did his best to explain to Levina that he'd been hearing strange voices.

"Are you sure it wasn't Lockhart?" asked Levina skeptically, brushing out her hair as they headed up to the dormitories.

"Positive."

* * *

October arrived soon, spreading a chill over the castle rained heavy most of the time, making the grounds wet with mud.

Oliver Wood, however, never seemed fazed by it, and every day after practice, Levina would find herself sopping wet and covered in thick mud.

By the time Halloween had arrived, Harry invited she, Hermione, and Ron to a deathday party with Nearly Headless Nick, but Levina kindly declined the offer, deciding on the traditional feast instead.

At the feast, Levina parted with her three friends and headed into the Great Hall, finding a seat next to Neville and the Weasley twins.

"Hey, Levina," they chorused, moving over.

"Hi." Levina helped herself to a large slab of turkey, chewing ravenously. Grabbing for a bread roll, she added, "Sorry, I didn't eat much of dinner last night-had too much Potions homework."

"Me too!" said Neville, spooning mashed potatoes into his mouth.

"I do indeed feel sorry," said Draco Malfoy from the Slytherin table rather loudly, "for those people who never have adequate meals at home, seeing as their poor families can't afford it."

Levina whirled around, mouth stuffed with food, to argue, but decided that there was nothing to say. What _could_ she say? It was true; her muggle family was poor (although able to afford lots of things for her cousin) and Levina usually went hungry most nights to "save money."

"Don't let him get to you," said George, shooting Draco a dirty look.

Levina swallowed the bread in her mouth and turned back to the table, irritated.

By the time the feast was over with, they headed back towards The Common Room, Oliver discussing new strategies to Levina.

"Well, you see, if Fred and George protect the sides, then you-"

Oliver stopped talking. Levina followed his gaze and gasped: Harry, Ron, and Hermione were standing next to a very dead-looking Mrs Norris, who hung limply from the wall.

"Y-you guys!" Levina rushed forward, amazed, and Draco Malfoy shouted, "Enemies of the heir, beware! You're next, Mudbloods!"

"Shut your trap, you git!" Levina shrieked back. Adjusting her necklace, she gawked at her trio of friends, amazed and stunned. "You-you surely didn't-?"

"No way!"

Levina shivered at the sight of Mrs. Norris, thinking of Lilypad.

* * *

**Sorry this chapter was so short! My brain is dead...and I'm lazy. I promise I'll try and make the next chapter better! For now, though, you'll have to deal with this, though. :(**

**REVIEW, REVIEW, REVIIIEWWW! :)**

**More to come! Yay!**


	3. The Chamber of Secrets

Hey everyone! Don't be mad at me, I mean better late then never on this chapter, right? And, this took me like...FOREVER! (Since I tried to make it longer)

**Anyways, enjoy the story, I apologize once again, reviews are welcome, and as far as the Disclaimer: I only own Levina, ok? Everything else, really, is JK Rowling, If it WAS mine, you'd see Levina in the movies, but, since you don't, I don't own the movies or books or characters. :)**

**Enjoy!**

* * *

"What's going on here? What's going on?"

Levina felt her heart sink as Argus Filch came shouldering his way through the crowd. When he spotted them, his eyes widened.

"My cat! My cat! What's happened to Mrs. Norris?" He shrieked.

His eyes fell onto Harry.

_"You!" _he screeched. _"You! _You've murdered my cat! You've killed her! I'll kill you! I'll-"

"How dare you accuse Harry?" Levina snapped back, making Filch turn on her.

"You were in on this, weren't you? My cat! My cat! I'm going to kill you! I'm-"

"_Argus!"_

Dumbledore had arrived on the scene, followed by a number of teachers. In seconds he had swept past Harry, Ron, Hermione, and Levina and removed the cat from the torch bracket.

"Come with me, Argus," he said to Filch. "You, too, Mr. Potter, Miss Granger, Mr. Weasley, and Miss SnowPetal."

Lockhart stepped forward eagerly.

"My office is nearest, headmaster-just upstairs-please feel free-"

"Thank you, Gilderoy," said Dumbledore.

Levina groaned, Lockhart oblivious to their irritation.

Entering into his room, Levina sank into a chair next to Hermione and began fidiling with a strand of her dark brown hair. _I did nothing wrong, I did nothing wrong, _she told herself. _I just happened to be returning and found them like that. No-wait- I can't say that, or it'll make me sound like I'm trying to put the blame on them..._

As Dumbledore examined Mrs. Norris, Lockhart bounding around the room and blabbing on about what could have caused it, Snape looking as though he were trying to not smile, Levina tried to not catch the eye of anyone, but found it difficult and continued to glance at Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

Filch was nearby in a chair, sobbing. As much as Levina hated him, she couldn't help but pity the man; if she thought someone had killed Lilypad...

Levina fingered the necklace around her neck, focusing on the texture of it as hours seemed to pass, which were merely minutes.

At last, Dumbledore stood up.

"She's not dead, Argus."

"Not dead?" Argus asked, pathetically looking at her through his fingers. "But why's she all-stiff and frozen?"

"She has been petrified. ("Ah! I thought so!" said Lockhart) But how, I cannot say..."

"Ask _him!" _Argus pointed an accusing finger at Harry, Right away, Levina straightened up.

"Don't start at Harrt again-" she began with a snarl.

"No second year could have done this," said Dumbledore firmly.

"He did it! He did it!" Filch spat, ranting on. "You saw what he wrote on the wall-("HE DIDN'T-" Levina started in angrily)-He found-in my office-he knows-I'm a-he knows I'm a Squib!"

_A Squid? _Levina thought, bewildered.

"I never _touched _Mrs. Norris!" said Harry loudly, and Levina was glad that he was defending himself now. And I don't even know what a Squib _is._"

"Rubbish!" snarled Filch. "He saw my Kwikspell letter!"

"If I might speak, Headmaster," said Snape from the shadows, and Levina felt a sinking feeling, knowing nothing he would say would benefit them.

"Potter and his friends may have been in the wrong place at the wrong time," said Snape, a sneer forming on his mouth. "But we do have suspicious circumstances here. Why was he in the upstairs corridor at all? Why wasn't he at the Halloween feast?"

"...there were hundreds of ghosts, they'll tell you we were there-" the trio launched into explanations about the Deathday party.

"But why not join the feast afterward? Why go up to that corridor?"

Levina opened her mouth in defense but nothing came out. Why _didn't _they return to the feast?"

Yet again, the three began talking over one-another, making explanations like crazy, saying that they were tired.

"Without any supper?"

"We weren't hungry," said Ron, who's stomach gave an enormous growl. Levina tried hard not to laugh, but there was nothing humorous about the situation. Snape's lip curled into a wide smirk.

"I suggest, Headmaster, that Potter is not being entirely truthful," he said. "It might be a good idea if he were deprived of certain privileges until he is ready to tell us the whole story. I personally feel he should be taken off the Gryffindor Quidditch team until he is ready to be honest."

"Really, Severus," said Proffessor McGonagall sharply, "I see no reason to stop the boy playing Quidditch. The cat wasn't hit over the head with a broomstick. There is no evidence at all that Potter has done anything wrong."

Levina watched Dumbledore's eyes go to Harry with a searching look, the light-blue meeting the sharp green.

"Innocten until proven guilty, Severus," he said firmly.

Snape looked furious. So did Filch.

"My cat has been Petrified!" he shrieked, his eyes popping. "I want to see some _punishment_!"

"We will be able to cure her, Argus," said Dumbledore. "Proffessor Sprout recentyl managed to procure some Mandrakes. As soon as they have reached their full size, I will have a potion made that will revive Mrs. Norris."

"I'll make it," Lockhart butted in. "I muse have done it a hundred times. I could whip up a Mandrake Restorative Draught in my sleep-"

"Excuse me," said Snape icily. "But I believe I am the Pootions master at this school."

There was a very awkward pause in which where Levina wasn't sure who's side she was on.

"You may go," said Dumbledore.

They went, as quickly as they could without actually running. When they were a floor up from Lockhart's office, they turned into an empty classroom and closed the door quietly behind them.

"D'you think I should have told them about that voice I heard?"

"What voice?" Levina demanded, fully interested.

And Harry explained the strange, ominous voice he'd heard that led up to where Mrs. Norris was.

Levina let out a squeal of terror. "And Hermione and Ron didn't hear it?"

Harry shook his head.

"Should I have told them?" Harry repeated.

"No," said Ron without hesitation. "Hearing voices no one else can hear isn't a good sign, even in the wizarding world."

"You do belive me, don't you?"

"'Course I do," said Ron quickly. "But-you must admit it's weird..."

"I know it's weird," said Harry. "The whole thing's weird. What was that writing on the wall about? _The Chamber has been opened..._.What's that supposed to mean?"

"You know, it sort of rings a bell," said Ron slowly. "I think someone told me a story about a secret chamber at Hogwarts once...might've been Bill..."

"And what on earth's a Squib?" said Harry.

To Levina's utter surprise, Ron tried to conceal a snigger.

"Well-it's not really funny-but as it's Filch," he said. "A Squib is someone who was born into a wizarding family but hasn't got any magical powers."

As Ron continued, Levina's eyes widened. _Born into a Wizarding family...but no magical powers...what if my Uncle's a Squib, and that's why he's related to Dad but has no powers?_

She never, however, looked much like her current family: Anna, with her locks of blonde hair, her uncle and aunt, with their long facial shapes.

A clock chimed somewhere.

"Midnight," said Harry. "We'd better get to bed before Snape comes along and tries to frame us for something else."

* * *

For a few days, the topic of conversation was rarely over something besides Mrs. Norris. Filch was in an incredibly bad mood, always pacing up the corridors with a foul look, trying to put students in detention for things like "breathing loudly."

Ginny Weasley seemed very disturbed by Mrs. Norris's fate. According to Ron, she was a great cat lover, and Levina couldn't blame her; Lilypad was the most loyal pet one could hope for, and although Levina was more of a dog person, she cared about the slim black cat.

Hermione had apparently been affected, too-all she ever did was read, which wasn't unusual, but she hardly did anything else. They didn't find out, however, until that following Wednesday.

Levina was talking to Cho Chang, the shy girl she'd met on her first day at Hogwarts, when she caught sight of Harry and Ron and said a hasty goodbye.

They were working on their essays for History of Magic, and when Levina sat down and unrolled her own, Hermione cam racing over.

_All _the copies of _Hogwarts a History _have been taken out," she said, sitting down beside Harry and Ron. "And there's a two-week waiting list. I _wish _I hadn't left my copy at home, but I couldn't fit it in my trunk with all the Lockhart books."

"There's a shocker," Levina muttered, measuring the length of her essay. "Drat, it's not long enough..."

"Why do you want it?" said Harry.

"The same reason everyone else wants it," said Hermione, "to read up on the legend of the Chamber of Secrets."

"What's that?" said Harry quickly.

"A chamber filled with secrets," Levina suggested. Ron laughed.

"That's just it, I can't remember," said Hermione, biting her lip. "And I can't find the story anywhere else-"

"Hermione, let me read your composition," said Ron desperately, checking his watch.

"No, I wont," said Hermione, suddenly severe. "You've had ten days to finish it-"

The bell rang. They headed off to History of Magic, the worst subject of all, with Hermione and Ron bickering all the way there.

Levina immedietly fell asleep during class and had a strange dream, as usual.

There was a man and a woman arguing about something, an intense feeling of fear overwhelming them. With a start, she realized, they were her parents, their voices rising in a panic. Levina was unclear of what was happening, but with a jolt, she woke up.

The class was filing out of the class, all discussing the same topic about the chamber of secrets. What had she missed while she was dozing off?

"...Sorting hat tried to put my in Slytherin, I'd've gotten on the train and gone back home..." Ron was saying.

Hermione nodded, walking with Ron and Harry, but Harry said nothing.

Levina felt her stomach churn uncomfortably; _she _had almost been put in Slytherin for her 'condition.' Would she ever know what her condition was, and why it was enough to have her put in Slytherin?

Shunting along through the crowd, Colin Creevey passed by.

"Hiya, Harry! Levina!"

"Hullo, Colin," said Harry automatically.

"Hey," said Levina.

"Harry-Harry-a boy in my class has been saying you're-"

But Colin was so small he couldn't fight against the tide of people bearing him towards the Great Hall; they heard him squeak, "See you Harry!" and he was gone.

"What's a boy in his class saying about you?" Hermione wondered.

"That I'm Slytherin's heir, I suspect," said Harry.

They climbed onto the next staircase.

"People here'll belive anything," said Ron with disgust.

"That's pretty gullible of them, then," Levina decided.

"D'you _really _think there's a Chamber of Secrets?" Ron asked Hermione.

"I don't know," said Hermione, frowning. "Dumbledore couldn't cure Mrs. Norris, and that makes me think that whatever attacked her might not be-well-human."

Turning the corner, they found themselves in the same corridor that once had Mrs. Norris' stiff body hanging on the wall.

"That's where Filch has been keeping guard," Ron muttered.

They looked at each other. The corridor was deserted.

"Can't hurt to have a poke around," said Harry, dropping his bag and getting on his hands and knees.

"Scorch marks!" he said. "Here-and here-"

"Come and look at this!" said Hermione. "This is funny..."

At the topmost pane of the window by the message, there were about twenty spiders scuttling, trying to get through a small crack.

"Have you ever seen spiders act like that?" said Hermione wonderingly.

"No," said Harry, "have you, Ron? Levina? ...Ron?"

Ron was tensed up, looking as though he might be fighting an impulse to run. Harry glanced at him and then at Levina. Levina shuddered.

"Never liked spiders much, never will," said Levina with a second shudder.

"What's up?" said Harry to Ron.

"I-don't-like-spiders," said Ron tensely.

"You and me both," said Levina.

"I never knew that," said Hermione, looking at Ron with surprise. "You've used spiders in potions loads of times."

"I don't mind them dead," said Ron. "I just don't like the way they move..."

Hermione giggled.

"It's not funny," said Ron, fiercly. "If you must know, when I was three, Fred turned my-my teddy bear into a great big filthy spider because I broke his toy broomstick...You wouldn't like them either if you'd been holding your bear and suddenly it had too many legs and..."

He broke off, shuddering. Hermione was still obviously trying not to laugh.

"Oh, they just creep me out-no particular reason behind it," said Levina, beginning to smile alongside Hermione.

"Remember all that water on the floor? Where did that come from? Someone's mopped it all up," said Harry.

"It was about here," said Ron, pointing. "Level with this door."

He reached for the brass doorknob but suddenly withdrew his hand as though he'd been burned.

"What's the matter?" said Harry.

"Can't go in there," said Ron gruffly. "That's a girl's toilet."

"Oh, Ron, there won't be anyone in there," said Hermione. "That's Moaning Myrtle's place. Come on, let's have a look."

"Who?" said Levina curiously.

"You'll see."

It was an incredibly gloomy and depressing bathroom with dull lighting and cracked sinks.

"Hello, Myrtle, how are you?"

Levina looked up at the gloomy ghost, who's eyes met hers and narrowed.

"Who're you?" she snapped, looking irritated as she picked at something on her chin.

"I'm Levina," Levina answered, suppressing a shiver. "Err...lovely bathroom."

"This is a _girl's _bathroom," said Myrtle, eyeing Ron and Harry suspiciously. "_They're _not girls."

"No," said Hermione. "I just wanted to show them how-er-nice it is in here."

"Ask her if she saw anything," Harry mouthed to Hermione.

"What are you whispering?" said Myrtle.

"Nothing," said Harry quickly. "We wanted to ask-"

"I wish people would stop talking behind my back!" said Myrtle in a voice choked with tears. "I _do _have feelings, you know, even if I _am _dead-"

"Myrtle, no one wants to upset you," said Hermione. "Harry only-"

"No one wants to upset me! That's a good one!" howled Myrtle. "My life was nothing but misery at this place and now people come along ruining my death!"

"Sorry, sorry!" said Levina, startled by the outburst. "We didn't mean to...err...ruin your death?"

"We wanted to ask you if you've seen anything funny lately," said Hermione quickly. "Because a cat was attacked right ouside your door on Halloween."

"Did you see anyone here that night?" said Harry.

"I wasn't paying attention," said Myrtle dramatically. "Peeves upset me so much that I came in here and tried to _kill _myself. Then, of course, I remember that I'm-I'm-"

"Already dead," said Ron helpfully.

Myrtle have a tragic sob, rose up in the air, and dived headfirst into the toilet.

"Well that was helpful," said Levina.

"Honestly, that was almost cheerful for Myrtle...Come on, let's go."

Harry had barely closed the door when a loud voice made all four of them jump.

"RON!"

Percy Weasley had stopped dead at the end of the stairs, prefect badge gleaming, an expression of complete shock on his face.

"That's a _girl's _bathroom!" he gasped. "What were _you_-?"

"Just having a look around," Ron shrugged. "Clues, you know-"

"Get-away-from-there-" said Percy, fuming as he came towards them. "Don't you _care _what this looks like? Coming back here while everyone's at dinner-"

"Why shouldn't we be here?" said Ron hotly. "Listen, we never laid a finger on that cat!"

"That's what I told Ginny, but she still seems to think you're going to be expelled, I've never seen her so upset, crying her eyes out, you might think of _her_, all the first years are thoroughly overexcited by this business-"

"_You _don't care about Ginny," said Ron. "_You're _just worried I'm going to mess up your chances of being Head Boy-"

"Five points from Gryffindor! And I hope it teaches you a lesson! No more _detective work, _or I'll write to Mum!"

* * *

"Who can it be, though?" said Hermione in the common room as they worked on their Charms homework. "Who'd want to frighten all the Squibs and Muggle-borns out of Hogwarts?"

"Let's think," said Ron in mock-puzzlement. "Who do we know that thinks Muggle-borns are scum?"

"If you're talking about Malfoy-"

"Of course I am!" said Ron.

"You've got to be kidding me," said Levina, stroking Lilypad's fur as she slammed her book shut and put away her quill.

"You heard him-'_You'll be next, Mudbloods!'-_come on, you've only got to look at his foul rat face to know it's him-"

"Malfoy, the heir of Slytherin?" said Hermione skeptically.

"Look at his family," said Harry, closing the books, too. "The whole lot of them have been in Slytherin; he's always boasting about it. They could easily be Slytherin's decendants. His father's definetly evil enough."

"They could've had the key to the Chamber of Secrets for centuries! Handing it down, father to son..."

"Well, said Hermione cautiously, "I suppose it's possible..."

"You're all crazy!" said Levina hotly. As much as she despised Draco, she would never accuse him of such a thing. "You think Draco's the heir?"

"I _know _he is!" said Ron.

"But how can we prove it?" said Harry darkly.

"There might be a way," said Hermione. "Of course, it would be difficult. And dangerous, very dangerous. We'd be breaking about fifty school rules, I expect-"

"If, in a month or so, you feel like explaining, you will let us know, won't you?" said Ron.

"All right. What we'd need to do is get inside the Slytherin Common room and ask Malfoy a few questions without him realizing that it's us."

"But that's impossible," said Harry as Ron laughed and Levina snorted.

"No, it's not," said Hermione. "All we'd need would be some Polyjuice Potion."

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**Hey everyone! Yet again, so sorry this chapter was later, but I tried to make it longer, and I yet again promise to try and work on the next one sooner and harder!**

**REVIEW IF YOU HAVE NOT! If you already have...then more are always welcome! :) Three, in fact, you can post up to THREE reviews,(one per chapter) but one is fine by me.**

**Previews for Chapter 4: Polyjuice Potions, Rogue Bludgers, Dobby, and more!**

**Stay tuned. R&R! 3 you all. **


	4. Bludgers and Dobby

**Hey everyone! I'm trying to beat down my bad habit of not updating frequently enough-if I can't get through this one small book, think how long The Deathly Hallows will take!**

**FlyingWerecats: Thanks! :) Yes, you'll just have to wait to see how Levina plays her part in the Polyjuice Potion! Yeah, I guess Levina won't be too pleased to see the giant spiders, now will she? And yes, I want Levina and Draco to ease into their emotions-they'll probably get all hormonal-ish by the third/fourth book, but right now they're less mature.**

**IGotSkittlez: Yay! I love it when people appreciate my work! :) **

**Disclaimer: (As usual): I don't own Harry Potter, Ron Weasley, Hermione Granger, Draco Malfoy, or anyone else but Levina! I might add a few more OCs in the fourth book, but for now, I just own Levina!**

**Enjoy chapter five! **

**PS: Happy Halloween! =D**

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Levina stifled a snicker as Harry was forced to howl like a werewolf, re-inacting a scene where Lockhart supposedly "battled a werewolf".

At the end of class, Levina met up with Harry, Ron, and Hermione.

"Ready?" Harry muttered.

"Wait till everyone's gone," said Hermione nervously. "All right..."

She approached Lockhart's desk, a sheet of paper clutched in her hand.

"Er-Proffessor Lockhart?" Hermione stammered, "I wanted to-to get this book out of the library. Just for background reading." She held out the piece of paper, her hand shaking. "But the thing is, it's in the Restricted Section of the library, so I need a teacher to sign for it-I'm sure it would help me understand what you say in _Gadding with Ghouls _about slow-acting venoms-"

"Ah, _Gadding with Ghouls!" _said Lockhart, taking the paper from her and smiling widely. "Possibly my favorite book. You enjoyed it?"

Hermione said eagerly, "Oh, yes. So clever, the way you trapped that last one with the tea-strainer-"

"Wll, I'm sure no one will mind me giving the best student of the year a little extra help," said Lockhart warmly, pulling out an enormous peacock quill. "Yes, nice, isn't it?" he said, misreading the revolted look on Ron and Levina's faces. "I usually save it for book-signings."

He scrawled an enormous loopy signature on the note and handed it back to Hermione.

Lockhart turned to Harry and Levina. "Tomorrow's the first Quidditch match of the season, I believe? Gryffindor against Slytherin, is it not? I hear you're a useful player. I was a Seeker, too. I was asked to try for the National Squad, but preferred to dedicate my life to the eradication of the Dark Forces. Still, if ever you feel the need for a little private training, don't hesitate to ask. Always happy to pass on my expertise to less able players..."

Levina made a low snarling noise. Lockhart turned to her. "Ah, Levina, there's no need to be jealous; But of course I'd be willing and able to give you private lessons! Indeed, a Beater can be a difficult job, and seeing as you're new an in-experienced, I could always lend a helping hand!"

Swallowing a retort while Harry made an indistinct noise in his throat, they hurried after Ron and Hermione.

"He's got some nerve!" Levina spat as they headed up to the library.

"I don't believe it," he said as the three of them examined the signature on the note. "He didn't even _look _at the book we wanted."

"That's because he's a brainless _git_("I second that!" said Levina)_,"_ said Ron. "But who cares, we've got what we needed-"

"He is _not _a brainless git," Hermione said shrilly as they half-ran to the library.

"Just because he said you were the best student of the year-"

They dropped their voices as they headed to the library, where Madam Pince was sure to criticize them if they were louder.

_"Moste Potente Potions?" _she repeated suspiciously, trying to take the note from Hermione, but she wouldn't let go.

"I was wondering if I could keep it," she said breathlessly.

"Oh, come on," said Ron, wrenching it from her grasp and thrusting it at Madam Pinch. "We'll get you another autograph. Lockhart'll sign anything if it stands still long enough." Levina laughed.

Madam Pinch held up the note to the light and stalked away into the lofty shelves and returned with a large and mldy-looking book. Hermione quickly slipped it into her bag, trying to not look guilty.

Five minutes later, they were in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. Moaning Myrtle was sobbing loudly, but Levina pointed out that it drowned out their voices some.

"This is the most complicated potion I have ever seen," said Hermione. "Lacewing flies, leeches, fluxweed, and knotgrass. Well, they're easy enough, they're in the student cupboard, we can help ourselves...Ooh, look, powdered horn of a bicorn-don't know where we're going to get that-shredded skin of a boomslang, and of course, a bit of whoever we change into."

"Excuse me?" said Ron sharply. "What d'you mean, a but if whoever we're changing into? I'm drinking _nothing _with Crabbe's toenails in it-"

Hermione continued as though she hadn't heard him. "We don't have to worry about that yet, though, because we add those bits last..."

Ron turned to them, speechless. Levina felt horrified.

"I have to drink something with _Pansy _in it?"

Hermione still said nothing.

"D'you realize how much we're going to have to steal, Hermione? Shredded skin of a boomslang, that's definetly not in the student cupboard. What're we going to do, break into Snape's private stores? I don't know if this is a good idea..."

Hermione shut the book with a snap.

"Well, if you three are going to chicken out, fine." There were bright pink patches on her cheeks and her eyes were brighter than usual. "_I _don't want to break rules, you know, _I _think threatening Muggle-borns is far worse than brewing up a difficult potion. But if you don't want to find out if it's Malfoy, I'll go straight to Madam Pince now and hand the book back in-"

"No, actually, I'm all for it," said Levina.

"I never thought I'd see the day when you'd be persuading us to break the rules," said Ron. "All right, we'll do it. But no toenails, ok?"

"How long will it take to make, anyway?" said Harry.

"Well, since Fluxweed has got to be picked at full moon and lacewings have got to be stewed for twenty one days...I'd say it'd be ready in about a month, if we find all the ingredients."

"A month?" said Ron. "Malfoy could have attacked half the Muggle-borns in the school by then!"

"Assuming it was him," Levina interrupted skeptically.

"But it's the best plan we've got, so full steam ahead," Ron finished. Looking at Levina with slight irritation, he added, "Why do you keep sticking up for Malfoy anyway?"

Levina snorted. "I'm not sticking up for him, I'm just saying that we don't know for sure!"

"I agree," said Hermione, standing up. "But we need to figure it out."

And she left the bathroom with Levina, Ron whispering to Harry under his breath, "It'll be a lot less hassle if you can just knock Malfoy off his broom tomorrow."

* * *

Levina woke up early on Saturday, meeting the Gryffindor Quidditch team downstairs for breakfast, where she nor Harry spoke much.

Heading down to the stadium, it was sort of muggy out with a hint of thunder in the air. Ron and Hermione hurried over to wish them luck as they headed for the locker rooms, where after pulling on their robes, they sat down to listen to Wood's usual pep talk.

"Slytherin has better brooms then us," he began. "No point denying it. But we've got better _people _on our brooms. We've trained harder than they have, we've been flying in all weathers-" (Too true," muttered George. "I haven't been properly dry since August.") "-and we're going to make them rue the day they let that little ball of slime, Malfoy, buy his way onto their team."

Turning to Harry, he added, "It'll be down to you, Harry, to show them that a Seeker has to have something more than a rich father. Get to that Snitch before Malfoy or die trying, Harry, because we've got to win today, we've got to."

"So no pressure, Harry," said Fred, winking at him.

"You'll do fine," Levina assured him as they headed out and onto the field.

"Thanks, Levina. I'm sure you will too."

"On my whistle," said Madam Hooch after the team Captains had grudgingly shaken hands. "Three...two...one..."

With a roar from the crowd, the players rose into the sky. Levina rose up above Harry, watching carefully for any Bludgers.

"All right there, Scarhead?" Malfoy shouted from under Harry. Levina unfortunately turned to yell at him, and a Bludger came pelting towards Harry, who, in the nick of time, swerved away from it.

"Close one, Harry!" said George, whacking the bludger with his club towards one of the Slytherins, but it swerved back at Harry.

Levina sped towards it and smacked it with her club towards one of the Beaters on the Slytherin team, but it came hurtling back again at Harry.

What was going on? The Bludgers never went after one specific person. Levina knocked it away again and Fred swung, with all his might, and sent it flying off course.

"Gotcha! Good work, Levina!" yelled Fred happily, but suddenly the Bludger pelted back at Harry again at full speed.

It had begun to rain, and Levina's vision blurred as she once again streaked after Harry and the rogue Bludger.

"Someone's-tampered-with-this-Bludger-" Fred grunted, swinging his bat at it again.

"We need a time out," said George as Levina swiped at it again.

"What's going on?" said Wood as the team huddled together. "We're being flattened. Fred, Levina, George, where were you when that Bludger stopped Angelina scoring?"

"We were twenty feet above her, stopping the other Bludger from murdering Harry, Oliver. Someone's fixed it-it won't leave Harry alone. It hasn't gone for anyone else all game. The Slytherin's must have done something to it."

"But the Bludgers have been locked in Madam Hooch's office since our last practice, and there was nothing wrong with them then..."

"Listen," said Harry as Madam Hooch headed over, "with you three flying around me all the time the only way I'm going to catch the Snitch is if it flies up my sleeve. Go back to the rest of the team and let me deal with the Rogue one."

"Don't be thick," said Fred. "It'll take your head off."

"Oliver, this is insane," said Alicia. "You can't let Harry deal with that thing on his own. Let's ask for an inquiry-"

"If we stop now, we'll have to forfeit the match!" said Harry. "And we're not losing to Slytherin just cuz of a crazy bludger! Come on, Oliver, tell them to leave me alone!"

"This is all your fault," said George. "'Get the snitch or die trying', what a stupid thing to tell him-"

"Harry, it's not going to just give up!" said Levina, looking nervous.

"Ready to resume play?" asked Madam Hooch.

"All right," Wood said. "George, Fred, Levina, you heard Harry-leave him alone and let him deal with the Bludger on his own."

The rain was falling more heavily now. Levina, feeling guilty, went after the other Bludgers, keeping one secret eye on Harry as the rogue one went after him again and again.

One of the Bludgers came shooting past Levina's eyes, and she hit it straight for Draco, but he swerved away in time.

"Wood should've known that a girl can't swing!" Draco jeered at her. Levina felt anger bubble inside, but it was then that she realized she could distract him away from the Snitch.

"Flint should've known that a slimeball can't find a Snitch!" she spat back at him.

Her plan worked: Draco sped at her through the rain angrily.

All of a sudden, however, the rogue Bludger was going straight for Harry, who, looking for the Snitch, didn't see it coming.

"HARRY!" Levina bellowed. Shooting at it with no acutal plan, she sped right in between it and Harry, and-

BAM.

The bludger, with a painful grinding sensation, drilled straight into Levina's stomach. With a slight waver in the air, Harry's voice calling from what seemed like miles away, Levina slipped straight off her broom and plummeted down through the rain.

"Levina? ...Levina?"

Levina's eyes fluttered open and a horrible pain filled her lower body. Blinking, she saw that the entire Gryffindor team was next to her. Sitting up, she realized she was in the hospital wing.

"Wha...?" she asked vaguely. Then a thought hit her. "Who won?"

Fred laughed. "That's the first thing you say when you wake up?"

"We did," said George, beaming.

Harry was in the bed next to her, looking in thorough pain. His arm was limpy hanging beside him.

"Harry!" she gasped. "Your arm!"

"The Bludger hit me," said Harry matter-a-factly. "And Lockhart-"

"Removed his bones," said Ron, looking disgusted. Levina shuddered.

"That was pretty bold of you," said Wood to Levina, as the team passed around cakes, sweets, and bottles of pumpkin juice. "Stupid, but bold; jumping in front of that Bludger, we all thought you'd be out for a week."

Levina beamed at the compliment. "Thanks."

And she passed out again.

* * *

It wasn't until hours later that Levina woke up. It was dark out, and her stomach was growling. Maybe they had left some cakes...?

But something else made her turn to her right.

The strangest looking creature Levina had ever seen was standing on top of Harry, sponging his forehead.

She shrieked and toppled sideways off her bed and she became tangled up in the sheets.

Harry woke up instantly with a jerk upright.

"Get off!" he said loudly. "_Dobby!"_

"Harry Potter came back to school," whispered the creature miserably. He had bat-like ears and green eyes the size of tennis balls. A single tear was running down his long, pointed nose. "Dobby warned and warned Harry Potter. Ah, sir, why didn't you heed Dobby? Why didn't Potter go back home when he missed the train?"

"Harry?" said Levina, eyes wide as she unwound herself from the covers. "Who-what-is that?"

"Dobby, the house elf, miss," said the creature.

"He's that elf I told you about that stopped my letters," said Harry. "What're you doing here? And how did you know I missed the train?"

Dobby's lip trembled.

"It was _you!" _said Harry slowly. "_You _stopped the barrier from letting us through!"

"_What?" _said Levina, looking from Harry to Dobby, bewildered.

"Indeed, yes, sir," said Dobby. "Dobby hid and watched for Harry Potter and his friend and sealed the gateway and Dobby had to iron his hands afterward-" he showed Harry his bandaged hands. "But Dobby didn't care, sir, for he thought Harry Potter was safe, and _never _did Dobby dream that Harry Potter would get to school another way!"

He was rocking back and forward now.

"Dobby was so shocked when he heard Harry Potter was back at Hogwarts, he let his Master's dinner burn! Such a flogging Dobby never had, sir..."

Harry slumped back on his pillows.

"You nearly got me, Ron, and Levina expelled," he said fiercly. "You better get lost before my bones come back, Dobby, or I might strangle you."

"Dobby is used to death threats, sir, Dobby gets them five times a day at home."

"You're the one who made us late?" said Levina angrily. "Do you know how much glass I got stuck in my skin?"

Dobby blew his nose on the filthy pillowcase he was wearing, and Levina felt her anger settle slightly. With a start, she felt at her neck, where the necklace she wore was gone. Searching frantically, she found it on the nightstand and put it back on.

"Why d'you where that thing, Dobby?" said Harry, looking at the pillowcase.

"This, sir? 'Tis a mark of the house elf's enslavement, sir. Dobby can only be freed if his master presents him with clothes, sir. The family is careful not to even pass Dobby a sock, sir, for then he would be free to leave their house forever."

Dobby moped his huge eyes suddenly and said, "Harry Potter _must _go home! Dobby thought his Bludger would be enough to make-"

"_Your _Bludger?" said Harry, anger rising again. "What d'you mean, _your _Bludger? _You _made that Bludger try and kill me?"

"Not kill you, sir, never kill you!" said Dobby shocked. "Dobby wants to save Harry Potter's life! Better sent him, grievously injured, than remain here, sir! Dobby only wanted Harry Potter hurt enough to be sent home!"

"Oh, is that all?" said Harry angrily. "I don't suppose you're going to tell me _why _you wanted me sent home in pieces? And hurt anyone else in the way, like Levina?"

"Dobby never intended to hurt Harry's friend!" said Dobby, shooting Levina a helpless look. "Ah, if Harry Potter only knew! If he knew what he means to us, to the lowly, to the enslaved, we dregs of the magical world!"

And he began to explain about how house elves were treated like vermion while He-who-must-not-be-named ruled and how Harry had been some sort of beacon of hope. What caught Levina's attention, however, was at the end when he said, "...Chamber of Secrets is open once more-"

Dobby froze, horror-struck and seized Harry's water jug from the table, cracking it over his own head. "Bad Dobby, very bad Dobby..."

"So there _is _a Chamber of Secrets?" said Harry. "And...did you say it's been opened _before? Tell _me, Dobby!"

He seized the elf's wrist as he tried to grab for the water jug again.

"It was opened before?" said Levina curiously. "By who? Dobby?"

"But I'm not Muggle-born-how can I be in danger from the Chamber?"

"Ah, sir, ask no more, ask no more of Dobby. Dark deeds are planned in this place, but Harry Potter must not be here when they happen-go home, Harry Potter, go home, as well as you," he added, to Levina. "Harry Potter must not meddle in this, sir, 'tis too dangerous-"

"Who is it, Dobby? Who's opened it? Who opened it last time?"

"Dobby can't, sir, Dobby can't, mustn't tell! Go home, Harry Potter, go home!"

"We're not leaving!" Levina snapped firmly. "So get that idea out of your head!"

"I'm not going anywhere!" said Harry fiercly. "One of our best friends is Muggle-born; she'll be first in line if the Chamber really has been opened-"

"Harry Potter risks his own life for his friends!" moaned Dobby. "So noble! So valiant! But he must save himself, he must, Harry Potter must not-"

Dobby suddenly froze, his bat-like ears quavering. There was the sound of footsteps.

"Dobby must go!" breathed the elf, terrified. Levina seized his other wrist, but there was a loud crack, and he dissappeared into thin air.

Scrambling back into her own bed, Levina pulled the covers up to her shoulders and faked being asleep.

Dumbledore and Proffessor McGonagall entered, carrying what appeared to be a statue.

"Get Madam Pomfrey," said Dumbledore.

There was the sound of shuffling about the room.

"What happened?" said Madam Pomfrey.

"Another attack," said Dumbledore. "Minerva found him on the stairs."

"There was a bunch of grapes next to him. We think he was trying to sneak up here to visit Potter and SnowPetal."

Levina's eyes peered open at the body, and with a horrible lurch of her stomach, she realized it was Colin Creevey.

"Petrified?" whispered Madam Pomfrey.

"Yes. But I shudder to think...If Albus hadn't been on the way downstairs for hot chocolate...who knows what might have-"

Dumbledore leaned down and wrenched a camera out of Colin's hands.

"You don't think he tried to get a picture of his attacker?" said Proffessor McGonagall eagerly.

Dumbledore opened the camera and a jet of steam hissed out of it. There was an acrid smell of burnt plastic.

"What does this _mean, _Albus?"

"It means," he said, "the Chamber of Secrets is open again."

"But, Albus...surely..._who?"_

"The question is not _who, _the question is _how..."_

And the moment they were gone, Levina and Harry sat upright, staring at each other, neither knowing what to say.

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**Hey my faithful readers! How was chapter four? Reviews are ALWAYS welcome!**

**As requested, Dobby has indeed appeared, (I had to have Levina injured so she'd have an excuse to be in the Hosptial Wing) and Hogwarts is in chaos!**

**Things to come: The Dueling club, exploding potions, and Parseltoungue!**

**Review :)**

**PS I'll try to get the next chapter up soon!**


	5. Christmas brings Polyjuice potions

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Sorry this chapter took so long to post!

Hi everyone! I HAVE AN IMPORTANT ANNOUNCEMENT TO MAKE:

**At youtube .com find me! My profile name is 2much2do2littletime. I just posted two videos about this story with pictures! WATCH THEM! LEAVE A COMMENT!...Or review this story. :) Or both! Either way, I'll be happy. (It's called "After all these years [LevinaXDraco]") One is better than the other because it's actual videos with Levina (Hilly Hindi) rather than pictures.**

**Flyingwerecats: I guess you really are a faithful reader, huh? :) Thanks, it's really difficult to incorporate Levina in right now, so I've had to make adjustments. P.S, watch my youtube video! It's called "After All These Years [LevinaXDraco]" :)**

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**Disclaimer: I don't own Harry Potter, Draco, Levina-wait, I take that back, I do own Levina :)**

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When Levina woke up on Sunday morning, Harry was already gone, but his breakfast tray had not yet been cleared, so she figured he must have only just left.

Lilypad was sitting on the edge of her bed, tail twitching back and forth, her collar bell tinkling as she stood and leapt beside Levina.

"Lily! How did you get in here?" Levina stroked the cat's head and placed her on the floor. "Now go back to the Gryffindor Common Room, ok?"

Lilypad didn't budge, which was odd, because Levina had taught her that command. "Lily, back to the common room."

There was something about the look in the cat's eyes that made her uneasy. "_Lilypad, _go home."

Lilypad still looked anxious, but she sprung of the bed and sprinted out the door, bell tinkling.

Madam Pomfrey came bustling over with a bowl of porridge, which Levina ate hungrily.

"I don't think anything's broken, but be careful the next time you decided to jump in front of a bludger."

Exiting, Levina wiped her mouth on her sleeve and hastily headed down the hall, pulling on the sleeves of her robe. Reaching into her pocket, she unraveled a few notes she'd written down before falling asleep when Dobby'd appeared.

_1: The Chamber of Secrets has been opened before._

_2: The Chamber is open again now, and Mudblood's are the main target._

_3: Watch out for Dobby._

Levina laughed feebly at herself for the last one, but it was true; if he did something else to try and "save Harry", she might lose a leg.

Sneaking around the corner, she slipped into Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "Hey, guys, it's me."

Hermione's eye peered out from the keyhole in the bathroom stall. "Oh, good! Harry's just gotten here too."

Squeazing into the stall, she noticed a cauldron bubbling on the toilet seat.

"So, did Harry tell you about Dobby?" asked Levina, curiously glancing into the cauldron.

"Yes," said Hermione. "Were you awake when he was there?"

"Oh yeah," said Levina, "unless toppling out of your bed head-first and getting caught in the covers while screaming is a usual sleeping habit, then I'd say yes."

Ron snorted and grinned. From another stall, Moaning Myrtle began, as usual, moaning and complaining about the noise level in 'her' bathroom.

* * *

In the second week of December, Proffessor McGonagall took the names of the people staying at Hogwarts, Draco included. Levina merely shrugged at this, but Harry eagerly took this as a chance to use the Polyjuice potion. Hermione, however, said that it wouldn't be done in time.

The worst part was, they had to steal from Snape's Office to get ingredients.

"What we need," said Hermione briskly as Thursday afternoon's double potions loomed nearer, "is a diversion. Then one of us can sneak into Snape's office and take what we need."

Harry, Ron, and Levina looked at her nervously.

"I think I'd better do the stealing," she continued in a matter-of-fact tone. "You three will be expelled if you get into any more trouble, and I've got a clean record. So all you need to do is cause enough mayhem to keep Snape busy for five minutes or so."

Levina forced a twitching smile. Causing mayhem in Potions was probably less safe than kicking Dumbledore in the shin. Of course, making Snape mad was definetly a specialty of theirs.

During potions, Levina knew that her potion was clearly off from the others, but she was distracted by the plan to care, even when Snape sneered down at it and made a rude remark.

Levina caught Draco's eye as Snape passed his cauldron and commented on it as "Perfect." Smirking at her, Levina glared back. Turning to Harry, she whispered, "Make sure you get Draco with a good-size splash of the potion."

They were making Swelling potions which, in Levina's mind, was the perfect potion to be used for such things. Catching Hermion'es eye, Levina casually lifted up her library book deliberately to block Harry from view as he pulled out one of Fred's Filibuster Fireworks and took aim. It soared right on target into Goyle's cauldron.

The potion exploded, showering the whole class. Levina held up the book to block herself and ducked under the table. Draco got a facefull and his nose began to swell like a melon. Goyle's eyes had expanded to the size of a dinner plate. Stifling laughter, Levina tried to look concered and surprised. In the middle of all the confusion, Levina saw Hermione quietly slip into Snape's office.

"Silence! SILENCE!" Snape roared. "Anyone who has been splashed, come here for a Deflating Draft-when I find out who did this-"

Once everyone had taken a swig of the antidote, Snape swept over to Goyle's cauldron and scooped out the black remains of the firework. There was a sudden hush.

"If I ever find out who did this," Snape said, "I shall _make sure _that person is expelled."

Levina followed his glare, which led all the way to Harry, who looked a bit overly-puzzled. Levina hoped Snape didn't notice, and the bell rang ten minutes later.

"He knew it was me," Harry told them as they headed back to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. "I could tell."

"I know," said Levina. "He was looking like might strangle you, Harry."

"It'll be ready in two weeks," said Hermione happily as she tossed the ingredients into her cauldron.

"Snape can't prove it was you," said Ron reassuringly. "What can he do?"

"Knowing Snape, probably something foul."

* * *

At eight o' clock a week later, Hermione, Harry, Ron, and Levina hurried back to the Great Hall. A golden stage had appeared along the wall as well as several floating candles. Most of the school seemed to be there, carrying their wands and looking excited.

"I wonder who'll be teaching us?" said Hermione. "Someone told me Flitwick was a dueling champion when he was young-maybe it'll be him."

"As long as it's not-" began Harry, but he ended on a groan.

Gilderoy Lockhart, accompanied by Snape, was striding on to the stage in robes of deep plum.

"Gather round, gather round! Can everyone see me? Can you all hear me? Excellent!

"Now, Proffessor Dumbledore has granted me permission to start this little dueling club, to train you in case you ever need to defend yourselves as I myself have done on countless occasions-for full details, see my published work.

"Let me introduce my assistant, Proffessor Snape," said Lockhart, flashing a wide smile. "He tells me he knows a tiny little bit about dueling himself and had sportingly agreed to help me with a short demonstration before we begin. Now, I don't want any of you youngsters to worry-you'll still have your potions master when I'm through with him, never fear!"

"And that's supposed to be a good thing because...?" whispered Levina to Ron.

"Wouldn't it be good if they finished each other off?" Ron muttered.

"As you see, we are holding our wands in the accepted combative position," Lockhart told the silent crowd. "On the count of three, we will cast our first spells. Neither of us will be aiming to kill, of course."

"I wouldn't bet on that," Harry murmured. Levina stifled a laugh.

"One-two-three-"

Snape cried, "Expelliarmus!"

There was a dazzling flash of scarlet light and Lockhart blasted off his feet.

Draco and some of the Slytherins cheered.

"Do you think he's all right?" Hermione squealed.

"Who cares?" said Harry, Ron, and Levina together.

Lockhart was now getting unsteadily to his feet. "Well, there you have it!" he said, tottering back onto the platform. "That was a Disarming Charm-as you see, I've lost my wand-ah, thank you, Miss Brown-yes, and excellent idea to show them that, Proffessor Snape, but if you don't mind my saying so, it was very obvious what you were about to do. If I had wanted to stop you it would have been only too easy-however, I felt it would be instructive to let them see..."

Snape was looking murderous. Lockhart probably noticed, because he said, "Enough demonstrating! I'm going to come amongst you now and put you all into pairs. Proffessor Snape, if you'd like to help me-"

Ron and Harry automatically paired up next to each other while Levina and Hermione hooked arms. Snape, however, reached them first before Lockhart could.

"Time to split up the dream team, I think," said Snape, smiling coldly. "Mr. Malfoy, come over here. Let's see what you make of the famous Potter. And you, Miss Granger-you can partner with Miss Bulstrode. Miss SnowPetal, you can partner with Miss Parkinson."

Levina felt her heart sink as Pansy strode over to her, looking confident. Her face resembled that of a pug.

"Face your partners!" called Lockhart from the platform. "And bow!"

Bow? To Pansy? Levina inclined her head barely and Pansy returned it grudgingly.

"Wands at the ready!" shouted Lockhart. "When I count to three, cast your charms to disarm your opponents-_only _to disarm them-we don't want any accidents-one-two-three-"

Levina went flying backwards and crashed into another pair, like bowling pins. Pansy shrieked with laughter. Anger began to seep into Levina, and, getting to her feet, she shot a jet of amethyst light back at her, causing her to slip and slide as though on ice, unable to keep her footing. She skidded along the ground and slipped, landing flat on her back.

Draco was doubled over, as if in pain, laughing. Apparently Harry had hit him with a tickling charm. Harry was doing some sort of strange, awkward dance with his legs and knees.

"Stop! Stop!" screamed Lockhart.

Pansy suddenly charged at top speed, and before Levina could react, she had wrestled her to the ground and was now pulling and tugging at her hair.

Both of their wands forgotten, the pair, kicking and shoving, wrestled each other back and forth, and next to them, Hermione was now in a head-lock by Millicent Bulstrode, whimpering in pain.

"_Finite Incantatem!" _Snape shouted.

Panting, everyone's spells wore off: Draco stopped laughing and Harry stopped dancing. Pansy stopped clawing and Levina released her teeth from their grip on her arm. Harry pryed Millicent off of Bulstrode.

"Dear, dear," said Lockhart. "Up you go, Macmillan...Careful there, Misd Fawcett...Pinch it hard, it'll stop bleeding in a second, Boot-

"I think I'd better teach you how to _block _unfriendly spells," said Lockhart, standing flustered in the midst of the hall. "Let's have a volunteer pair-Longbottom and Finch-Fletchley, how about you-"

"A bad idea, Proffessor Lockhart," said Lockhart, gliding over like a bat. "Longbottom causes devestation with the simplist of spells. We'll be sending what's left of Finch-Fletchley up to the hospital wing in a match box." Neville's round, pink face went pinker. "How about Malfoy and Potter?"

Levina's eyes met Harry's fearfully.

"Excellent idea!" said Lockhart, gesturing Harry and Draco to the middle of the hall.

"Knock out a few teeth for me, Harry," whispered Levina as he passed. Harry managed a weak smile.

Hermione, fixing her already-bushy hair, headed over next to Levina. "Millicent's got to be some sort of troll," she said quietly.

"Yeah? Well, if she's a troll, then Pansy's and ogre."

"Three-two-one-go!"

Levina looked up in time to see Draco shout_, "Serpensortia!"_

His wand exploded and a long, black snake shot out of it. Many people shrieked and retreated several feet.

"Don't move, Potter," said Snape lazily, "I'll get ride of it..."

"Allow me!" said Lockhart, and, with a loud bang, the snake flew into the air and landed right in front of Justin Finch-Fletchley. Its fangs exposed, it poised to strike.

There was a horrible, rasping sound. Levina gaped at Harry in astonishment, for it was he who was making the noise. Then snake began to go towards Justin more and Levina gasped; was he egging it on?

The snake suddenly fell to the ground and looked up at Harry, who looked frightened.

"What do you think you're playing at?" Justin shouted, and as Levina looked over at him, he stormed out of the room.

Snape waved his wand and he, too, looked at Harry in surprise.

Ron reached forward and grabbed Harry's robe. "Come on," he whispered.

No one said a word out of the Great Hall and the silence remained until they reached the Gryffindor common room.

Ron pushed Harry into an armchair and said, "You're a Parselmouth. Why didn't you tell us?"

"You're a what?" asked Levina, staring at him.

"I'm a what?" asked Harry.

"_A Parselmouth!" _said Ron. "You can talk to snakes!"

"I know. I mean, that's only the second time I've ever done it. I acidentally set a boa constrictor at my cousind Dudley at the zoo once-long story-but it was telling me it had never seen Brazil ("Wait, what?" said Levina) and I sort of set it free without meaning to-that was before I knew I was a wizard-"

"A boa constrictor told you it had never seen Brazil?" Ron repeated faintly.

"So?" said Harry. "I bet loads of people here can do it."

"Oh, no they can't," said Ron. "It's not a very common gift, Harry. This is bad."

"What's bad?" said Harry. "What's wrong with everyone? Listen, if I hadn't told that snake not to attack Justin-"

"Oh, that's what you said to it?"

"What d'you mean? You were there-you heard me-"

"I heard you speaking Parseltongue," said Ron. "Snake language. You could have been saying anything-no wonder Justin panicked, you sounded like you were egging the snake on or something-it was creepy, you know."

"I spoke a different language? But-I didn't realize-how can I speak a different language without knowing i can speak it?"

"Very true," said Levina. "But he did in fact stop the snake, right? So, I guess it would be a good thing, then, wouldn't it?"

"Yeah!" said Harry. "D'you want to tell me what's wrong with stopping a massive snake from biting of Justin's head? What's it matter _how _I did it as long as Justin doesn't have to join the Headless hunt?"

"The what?" said Levina vaguely.

"It matters," said Hermione, speaking at last and ignoring Levina, "because being able to talk to snakes was what Salazar Slytherin was famous for. That's why that symbol of Slytherin house is a serpant."

Levina gasped and turned to stare at Harry, who's mouth was open.

"Exactly," said Ron. "And now the whole school's going to think your his great-great-great-great-grandson or something-"

"But I'm not," said Harry, looking panic-stricken.

"You'll find that hard to prove," said Hermione. "He lived about a thousand years ago; for all we know, you could be."

Lying in her bed that night, Levina fingered her glittering blut necklace that hung around her neck, petting the fur on Lilypad's back, which, for some reason, was standing on end, as it had the day in the hospital.

* * *

Levina was walking side-by-side with Fred that morning, discussing Quidditch. Herbology had been canceled due to the harsh conditions of the Blizzard. Carrying a book in her arms about a variety of plants, she found herself unusually chatty.

"You'll have to teach me some techniques, Fred," said Levina happily. "I don't want to end up in the hospital after every match, but I also want to keep playing."

"That's understandable," said Fred, nodding his head. "Beaters have a tough job, but if you can swing a bat, then you're in."

"Where's George, by the way?" Levina asked, flipping through her Herbology book cheerfully.

"Think he got a date with this cute girl from Ravenclaw," said Fred with a far-off, almost wistful look.

Levina felt suddenly awkward.

"Err-so, anyways, uh, you'll have to help me with the bat," Levina mumbled, flipping through the pages rather fast, not looking up.

"How do you know _I'm _not Fred?" he asked.

Levina gave him a long look. "Because you're more annoying."

"Ha." Fred grinned. "I s'pose that's true."

"...is out of my hands, Potter."

Harry, accompanied by Proffessor McGonagall, went streaking past. Harry looked white in the face.

"Harry...?" Levina asked with a questioning look as he passed by.

"Another attack," Harry whispered. Professor McGonagall said nothing but merely gestured for Harry to keep walking.

Levina and Fred exchanged a look of panic.

"It...you don't think...?" Levina's mind jumped to one name: Hermione.

In another moment or two, however, Hagrid streaked past in a haste, covered in pine needles.

"Hagrid!" Levina grabbed his arm. "What's happened?"

"Harry's bin accused fer another attack!" he answered gruffly.

"Petrified? Who, Hagrid?" Levina demanded.

"Sir Nick an' tha' Fletchley guy! But it wasn' Harry, I was with im'! I have ter tell Proffessor Dumbledore."

And with that, Hagrid sped off towards Dumbledore's office, leaving Levina and Fred in stunned silence.

* * *

"At this rate, we'll be the only ones left," Ron told them. "Us, Malfoy, Crabbe, and Goyle. What a jolly holiday it's going to be."

Dumbledore had let Harry go, but news spread like wildfire all over the school. There was almost a stampede of people trying to get home on the Hogwarts Express for Christmas.

Fred and George, however, found it quite amusing, and would march in front of Harry, shouting, "Make way for the heir of Slytherin, seriously evil wizard coming through..."

Percy was deeply dissapproving of this behavior.

"It is _not _a laughing matter," he said coldly.

"Oh, get out of the way, Percy," said Fred. "Harry's in a hurry."

"Yeah, he's off to the Chamber of Secrets for a cup of tea with his fanged servant," said George, chortling.

Ginny didn't find it amusing either.

"Oh, _don't," _she wailed every time Fred asked Harry loudly who he was planning to attack next, or when George pretended to ward Harry off with a large clove of garlic when they met.

Harry never appeared to mind, so Levina never said anything about it. Draco Malfoy, however, looked extremely sour every time he saw them at it.

"It's because he's _bursting _to say it's really him," said Ron knowingly. "You know how he hates anyone beating him at anything, and you're getting all the credit for his dirty work."

"Not for long," said Hermione in a satisfied tone as Levina opened her mouth to argue. "The Polyjuice Potion's nearly ready. We'll be getting the truth out of him any day now.

* * *

"Levina, Levina, get up!"

Levina blinked in the early morning light from the window and shivered; it was snowing out. Sitting up, she found Hermione, arms full of presents, sitting in front of her. "You've got some, too!"

Levina sprung to her feet, knocking Lilypad, who was fast asleep, off of the bed. Hissing, bell jingling, Lilypad sat up and groomed her shoulder.

"Let's go wake up Harry and Ron!" she suggested.

Hermione frowned. "But they're in the _guy's _dormitory."

"So? I slept in there last Christmas."

Levina dressed into warm clothes (Hermione was already fully dressed) and raced into the opposite dorm room, where Hermione drew back Harry's window curtains, saying loudly, "Wake up!"

"Hermione-Levina-you're not supposed to be in here," said Ron, shielding his eyes against the light.

"Merry Christmas to you too," she daid, throwing him his present. "I've been up for nearly an hour, adding lacewings to the potion. It's ready."

Harry sat up abruptly.

"Are you sure?"

"Positive," said Hermione, shifting Scabbers the rat so that she could sit down on the end of Ron's four-poster. "If we're going to do it, I say it should be tonight."

"It's actually kind of exciting," said Levina, dragging Lilypad away from Scabbers. "I mean, we might be able to see the Slytherin Common Room!"

Ron made a face. "Why would you _want _to?"

"Cuz' I've never seen any of the other common rooms.

At that moment, Hedwig swooped into the room, carrying a very small package in her beak.

"Hello," said Harry happily as she landed on the bed. "Are you speaking to me again?"

Suddenly, something white and black streaked into the room and fluttered around like mad, chirping, before finally landing on Levina's shoulder. It was an owl.

"What...?"

The owl had a white belly, golden eyes, and black-brown feathers on it's back. In its beak, there was a note.

"That's a Spectacled owl!" said Hermione in awe. "Where did it come from?"

Levina reached up and the owl let her take the note from its beak. She unraveled it. It read:

_I nevr quite gotcha any gift when I metcha. Felt bad. So, I thot I mite give ya a lil somethin, like I did fer Harry on his birthday._

_Hagrid._

With slight difficulty, Levina read it aloud. "Hagrid got me an owl!" she squealed in delight.

Lilypad hissed at it in annoyance and curled up on Levina's lap, the owl hooting like mad.

"Blimey," said Ron, "Look at the markings on its back!"

Hedwig marched over to it, cocking her head to one side, and gave it an affectionate nip with her beak.

"Maybe they'll be friends," said Levina cheerfully. "I'll call you...Athena."

"Athena?" said Ron. "Why?"

"The Greek Goddess of Wisdom!" said Levina, stroking its feathers.

Harry was unwrapping the box from Hedwig. It was a toothpick from the Dursleys with a note telling him to find out if he could stay there for summer too.

The rest of Levina's presents were quite enjoyable, too. From Harry, she recieved a book called _The Scarlett Night, _which was an entertaining fictional story about mystical creatures. Ron had given her an enchanted notebook that would take notes for her during classes. Hermione had bought two luxury eagle-feather quills and gave one to Harry and Levina. Mrs. Weasley sent her usual Weaslye Sweater and and a plum cake, which she felt guilty in recieving after crashing, breaking, and losing Mr. Weasley's car.

Remembering last Christmas, Levina's hand found her neck, where the same strange necklace hung around her neck, still remaining a mystery as to why she had recieved it.

* * *

After an incredible Christmas dinner in the Great Hall in which where everyone stuffed themselves with food and pudding, Levina exited with Hermione, Harry, and Ron.

"We still need a bit of the people you're changing into," said Hermione matter-a-factly. "And obviously, it'll be best if you can get something of Crabbe's and Goyle's; they're Malfoy's best friends, he'll ell them anything. And we also need to make sure the real ones can't burst in on us while we're interrogating him.

"I've got it all worked out," she went on smoothly, "I've filled these chocolate caked with a simple Sleeping Draught. All you have to do is make sure Crabbe and Goyle find them. You know how greedy they are, they're bound to eat them. Once they're asleep, pull out a few of their hairs and hide them in a broom closet."

Harry and Ron looked incredulously at each other.

"Hermione, I don't think-"

"That could seriously go wrong-"

"The potion will be useless without Crabbe and Goyle's hair," she said sternly. "You do _want _to investigate Malfoy, don't you?"

"Oh, all right, all right," said Harry. "But what about you and Levina? Who's hair are you ripping out?"

"We've already got ours!" said Hermione brightly. Both she and Levina pulled out bottles with single hairs in them. "Remember Millicent Bulstrode and Pansy Parkinson wrestling us at the Dueling Club? They left these on our robes when they were trying to strangle us. And they've gone home for Christmas-so we'll just have to tell the Slytherins we decided to come back. "

* * *

"Sorry I'm late! I was talking to Fred and George."

Levina burst into Moaning Myrtle's bathrooml, where the trio was preparing to drink the Polyjuice Potion.

"Oh, good, here," said Hermione, passing her a glass that contained a thick black substance. "I already put Pansy's hair in it."

Levina looked at it, revolted, as Hermione passed her some spare Slytherin robes she'd found in the laundry.

Stepping into seperate stalls, Harry called, "Ready?"

"Ready!" they chorused.

"One-two-three-"

Levina gulped down the potion. It tasted like some sort of rotting cabbage.

Immediately, her insides began writhing. She felt a burning sensation and felt as though hot wax was being poured onto her skin.

Gagging, she felt her mind go fuzzy for a moment. When everything cleared, she was slightly shorted and her long brown hair no longer flowed down her shoulders.

Stepping out, she saw Crabbe and Goyle standing in front of each other, looking amazed.

"Hi, Crabbe, Goyle," she greeted. Her voice sounded high-pitched and over-girly.

"Hi, Pansy," said Crabbe in a low voice.

"Ready to go?"

"I-I don't think I'm going to come after all," said I high-pitched voice. "You three go on without me."

"Hermione, we know Millicent Bulstrode's ugly, no one's going to know it's you."

"No-really-I don't think I'll come You three hurry up, you're wasting time."

They looked at eachther, bewildered.

"_That _looks more like Goyle," said Ron to Harry. "That's how he looks when a teacher asks him a question."

"Hermione, are you ok?" said Harry through the door.

"Fine-I'm fine-go on."

"We'll meet you back here, all right?"

Checking that the coast was clear, they set off.

"Don't swing your arms like that," Harry whispered to Ron.

"Eh?"

"Crabbe holds them sort of stiff..."

"How's this?"

"Yeah, that's better. Pansy, stop smiling and try sneering."

Levina changed her face to a sneer worthy of Draco Malfoy.

"Like that?"

"Better."

Now all they had to do was find the Slytherin Common Room, which proved to be difficult; Ron asked a Ravenclaw where it was and recieved a weird look.

"Ha!" said Ron excitedly after a quarter of an hour. "There's one of them now!"

Levina looked up to find not a Slytherin, but Percy Weasley emerging from a side room.

"What are you doing down here?" said Ron in surprise.

Percy looked affronted.

"That," he said stiffly, "is none of your business. It's Crabbe, isn't it?"

"Wh-oh, yeah," said Ron.

"Well, get off to your dormitories," said Percy sternly. "It's not safe to go wandering around dark corridors these days."

_"You _are," Ron pointed out.

"I," said Percy, drawing himself up, "am a prefect. Nithing's about to attack _me_."

A voice suddenly echoed behind them. Draco Malfoy was strolling towards them, and Levina felt relieved.

"There you are," he drawled, looking at them. "Have you two been pigging out in the Great Hall all this time? I've been looking for you; I want to show you something really funny."

He caught sight of Levina.

"Pansy? What are _you _doing back here? I thought you went home to see your parents...?"

"I...um..." Levina stammered. "I came back. What of it?"

Draco glanced witheringly at Percy.

"And what are you doing down here, Weasley?" he sneered.

Percy looked outraged.

"You want to show a bit more respect to a school prefect!" he said. "I don't like your attitude."

Draco sneered and motioned for them to follow him.

Once they were farther down the passage he said, "That Peter Weasley-"

"Percy," Ron corrected him automatically.

"Whatever," said Draco. "I've noticed him sneaking around a lot lately. And I bet I know what he's up to. He thinks he's going to catch Slytherin's heir single-handed.

He gave a short, derisive laugh. Levina faked a high-pitched giggle.

They paused by a stretch of bare, damp stone wall.

"What's the new password again?" he said to Harry.

"Er-" said Harry.

"Oh, yeah-_pureblood!_" A stone door concealed in the wall slid open. Draco marched through it and they followed him.

The Slytherin Common Room was a long, low underground room with rough stone walls and ceiling from which round, green-ish lamps were hanging on chains. A fire was crackling under an elaborately carved mantlepiece ahead of them, and several Slytherins were silhouetted around it in high-backed chairs.

"Wait here," said Draco to Harry, Ron, and Levina, motioning them to three empty chairs set back from the fire. "I'll go and get it-my father's just sent it to me-"

Wondering what his father sent him, Levina sat down comfortably, hoping to not look incredibly awkward.

Draco came back a minute later, holding what looked like a newspaper clipping. He thrust it under Ron's nose.

Levina saw Ron's eyes widen in shock. He read the clipping quickly, gave a very forced laugh, and passed it to Levina.

It was an article about Ron's dad, Arthur Weasley, being fined fifty galleons for bewitching a Muggle car.

Levina handed it over to Harry, forcing a small, high-pitched giggle.

"Well?" said Malfoy impatiently as Harry handed the clipping back to him. "Don't you think it's funny?"

"Ha ha," said Harry bleakly.

"Arthur Weasley loves Muggles so much he should snap his wand in half and go join them," said Draco scornfully. "You'd never know the Weasleys were pure-bloods, the way they behave."

Ron's-or rather, Crabbe's-face was contorted with fury.

"What's up with you, Crabbe?" snapped Draco.

"Stomachache," Ron grunted.

"Well, go up to the hospital wing and give all those Mudbloods a kick from me," said Draco, snickering. "You know, I'm surprised the _Daily Prophet _hasn't reported all those attacks yet," he went on thoughtfully. "I suppose Dumbledore's trying to hush it all up. He'll be sacked if it doesn't stop soon. Father's always said old Dumbledore's the worst thing that ever happened to this place. He loves Muggle-borns. A decent headmaster would never've let slime like that Creevey in."

Draco started taking pictures with an imaginary camera and did a cruel but accurate impression of Colin: "Potter, can I have your picture, Potter? Can I have your autograph? Can I lick your shoes, Potter?"

Levina laughed in a very fake, high-pitched tone.

He dropped his hands and looked at them.

"What's the _matter _with you two?"

Far too late, they forced themselves to laugh, but Draco seemed satisfied; apparently they were always slow on the uptake.

Draco turned to Levina. "At least Pansy's head's screwed on straight." He patted the seat beside him on the sofa.

Levina felt horror-struck. For a moment, she didn't move, but when Draco frowned, she stood up stiffly, walked over like a puppet, and sat down next to him.

Harry and Ron each shot her a grin which she returned with an irritable twitch.

"Saint Potter, the Mudblood's friend," Draco continued slowly. "He's another one with no proper wizard feeling, or he wouldn't go around with that jumped up Granger Mudblood. And people think _he's _the heir of Slytherin!"

Levina, Harry, and Ron waited with baited breath: Draco was surely seconds away from telling them-but then-

"I _wish _I knew who it _is,_" said Draco petulantly. "I could help them."

Ron's jaw dropped, making Crabbe look even more clueless than usual.

"You must have some idea who's behind it all..."

"You know I haven't, Goyle, how many times do I have to tell you?" snapped Draco. "And Father won't tell me _anything _about the last time the Chamber was opened either. Of course, it was fifty years ago, so it was before his time, but he knows all about it, and he says that it was all kept quiet and it'll looks suspicious if I know too much about it. But I know one thing- last time the Chamber of Secrets was opened, a Mudbloos _died. _So I bet it's a matter of time before one of them's killed this time...I hope it's Granger," he said with relish.

Ron was clenching Crabbe's gigantic fists.

"D'you know if the person who opened the Chamber last time was caught?" said Harry, shooting Ron a warning look.

"Oh, yeah...whoever it was was expelled," said Draco. "They're probably still in Azkaban."

"Azkaban?" said Harry, puzzled.

"Azkaban-_the wizard prison,_ Goyle," said Draco, looking at him in disbelief. "Honestly, if you were going any slower, you'd be going backward."

He shifted restlessly in his chair and said, "Father says to keep my head down and let the Heir of Slytherin get on with it. He says the school needs ridding off all the Mudblood filth, but not to get mixed up in it. Of course, he's got a lot on his plate at the moment. You know the Ministry of Magic raided our manor last week?"

"No way," Levina mumbled with forced concern.

"Yeah..." said Draco. "Luckily, they didn't find much. Father's got some _very _valuable Dark Arts stuff. But luckily, we've got our own secret chamber under the drawing-room floor-"

"Ho!" said Ron.

Draco looked at him. So did Levina and Harry.

Ron blushed. Even his hair was turning red. His nose was also lengthening-their hour was up, Ron was turning back into himself, and from the look of horror he was giving them, they must be, too.

Harry and Ron jumped to their feet.

"Medicine for my stomach," Ron grunted, and without further ado, they took off through the common room at top speed.

"What's wrong with those two?" said Draco. He turned and scooted closer towards her on the couch and wrapped one arm around her shoulders. "What made you come back, Pansy?"

"AHH!" Levina, flustered, sprung to her feet, leaping away from him. "I, uh, have to go!"

"What?"

"I, um, just remembered that-um, that is..." Levina racked her brain to think up a story. "I only came back because-I, um, left something at the school! Yeah! And now I have to, err, go home!"

Levina fled at top speed, not looking back until she reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

Panting, she crashed into Harry, who had changed back.

"What happened?" he asked.

"Nothing...Thanks for leaving me!" Levina, muttering to herself in disgust, turned to find Hermione, who was covered in black fur. Her eyes had turned yellow and there were long, pointed ears poking through her hair.

"It was a c-cat hair!" she howled. "M-Millicent Bulstrode m-must have a cat! And the p-potion isn't supposed to be used for animal transformations!"

"Uh-oh," said Ron.

"You'll be teased something _dreadful,_" said Myrtle happily, floating nearby. Apparently she was enjoying this.

"Shut up," Levina spat at her.

"It's ok, Hermione," said Harry quickly. "We'll take you up to the hospital wing. Madam Pomfrey never asks too many questions..."

It took a long time to persuade Hermione to leave the bathroom. Moaning Myrtle sped by them on their way out with a hearty guffaw. "Wait till everyone finds out you've got a _tail_!"

* * *

**Hi everyone! Whew! I apologize again for how long this took to post...but it's a long chapter, so, yay!**

**Poor LevinaXDraco...they haven't gotten many moments together, have they? I promise to try and incorporate in more! **

**Anyways, review! I haven't gotten any in FOREVER and that really hurts my motivation...Nevertheless, I shall try to post the next chapter soon!**

**REVIEW! And check out my video on youtube. (I've posted two. The "Kiss the Girl" one is better, cuz the video actually moves, rather than pictures...)**

**Things to come: Valentines Day, Riddles' Diary, and more! :)**


	6. Aragog and his family of giant spiders

**Flyingwerecats: Oh, the videos of "Levina" are from the Hillywood show, which is an online parody, and those particular videos were from one of their videos which is a parody of Twilight, so yeah, sorry I couldn't cut some of it out. Nevertheless, thanks, and post a comment! :) **

**Thanks to everyone and I have a third video up on youtube for LevinaXDraco!**

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything except for Levina SnowPetal and her cat Lilypad and Owl Artemis.**

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At the beginning of February, on one evening, Hemrione had gotten out of the hospital wing and was back in the common room.

Harry was showing them a diary he'd found in the bathroom, and apparently someone had chucked it at Moaning Myrtle.

"Oooh, it might have hidden powers," said Hermione enthusiastically, examining it.

"If it has, it's hiding them very well," said Ron. "Maybe it's shy. I don't know why you don't chuck it, Harry."

Levina didn't have any interest in the book, however, and took little notice of their conversations about it.

"I don't think it does anything at all, Harry, and I agree with Ron; you should just pitch it."

Come February 13th, Levina found herself heading down to breakfast with Hermione early, rather than late as she usually was (from sleeping in).

The walls of the Great Hall were covered with large, lurid pink flowers. Heart-shaped confetti was falling from the ceiling and Lockhart was wearing pink robes that matched the decor.

Snape looked incredibly foul from beside him and McGonagall had a muscle going in her cheek.

"Happy Valentines Day!" Lockhart shouted as Harry made his way down to the table. "And may I thank the fourty-six people who have so far sent me cards! Yes, I have arranged this little surprise for you all- and it doesn't end here."

Lockhart clapped his hands and through the doors to the entrance hall marched a dozen surly-looking dwarfs. Lockhart had them all wearing golden wings and carrying harps.

"My friendly, card-carrying cupids!" beamed Lockhart. "They will be roving around the school today delivering your valentines! And the fun doesn't stop here! I'm sure my colleagues will want to enter the spirit of the occasion. Why not ask Proffessor Snape to show you how to whip up a Love potion! And while you're at it, Professor Flitwick knows more about Entrancing Enchantments than any wizard I've ever met, the sly dog!"

Levina made a face. "Who would sent Lockhart a card?"

"Please, Hermione, tell me you weren't one of the forty-six," said Ron as they left the Great Hall for their first class. Hermione became suddenly interested in looking through her bag for her schedule.

"Oy, you! 'Arry Potter!"

A dwarf was making his way through the crowd towards Harry.

"I've got a musical message to deliver to 'Arry Potter in person."

"_Not Here," _said Harry, trying to escape.

"Stay _still!_"

The dwarf grabbed hold of Harry's bag and it split in two, sending his ink bottle, parchment, quill, and books everywhere.

Levina dropped to her knees to help him collect up all of his belongings.

"What's going on here?" came the cold, drawling voice of Draco Malfoy.

Harry started stuffing everything feverishly into his bag.

"What's all this commotion?" said Percy Weasley as he arrived.

_His eyes are as green as a fresh pickled toad,_

_His hair as dark as a blackboard._

_I wish he was mine, he's really divine,_

_The hero who conquered the Dark Lord_

Levina couldn't stop a grin from crossing her face. She quickly dove to the floor again with her hair covering her face so that Harry wouldn't notice.

Turning, she saw Draco stoop down to snatch up something: It was Riddle's diary.

"Give that back," said Harry quietly.

"Wonder what Potter's written in this?" said Draco, who apparently thought it was Harry's.

"Let go of it," said Levina sternly, taking a step forward.

"Hand it over, Malfoy," said Percy sternly.

"When I've had a look," said Draco, waving the diary tauntingly.

Levina got to her feet. "Give it here, Draco."

"As school Prefect-" said Percy sternly, but Harry had lost his temper.

"_Expelliarmus!"_

The diary went flying out of Draco's hand and Ron caught it.

"Harry!" said Percy loudly. "No magic in the corridors. I'll have to report this, you know!"

Draco was looking furiousl, and as Ginny passed him to enter her classroom, he yelled spitefully after her, "I don't think Potter liked your Valentine much!"

Ginny covered her face with her hands and fled into the class.

Ron pulled out his wand, but Harry pulled him away.

"Don't take you humiliation out on Ginny," snarled Levina.

"Humiliated?" said Draco with a sneer, but he didn't appear to have anything to back it up with.

Harry grabbed her arm. "Let's just go to class, ok?"

"Whatever."

In the common room that night, Harry had went to bed early, and Levina couldn't blame him; Fred and George kept singing lyrics from the Valentine card.

Hermione, yawning, was taking notes on a sheet of paper. Beside Levina, her notebook from Hermione at Christmas was copying everything Hermione wrote down.

"You know," said Hermione, looking annoyed, "when I gave you that, I didn't think you'd use it to slack off."

Levina was stroking Lilypad's black fur on her head. "And I didn't know it could copy people's papers," said Levina happily. "Maybe I should use it on a test..."

Hermione looked incredibly sour now, so Levina decided against saying anything more.

* * *

One morning, Levina woke exceptionally early to head out to the Quidditch fields.

Previously, it had been discovered that, according to Harry, Hagrid had first opened the Chamber of Secrets.

Levina, of course, said this was ridiculous. Heading out into the sun in her robes, she had just begun to mount her broom when Proffessor McGonagall came running onto the Quidditch Pitch.

"The match has been canceled."

"What!" said Levina, just as she rose an inch above the ground.

"But Proffessor!" shouted Wood, "We've got to play-the cup-_Gryffindor!"_

"All students are to make their way back to the House common rooms, where their heads of houses will give them more information."

Then she lowered the microphone she was carrying and gestured for Levina and Harry to come over.

"Potter, SnowPetal, I think you'd better come with me..."

Ron came running towards them as they headed up to the castle, Levina bewildered.

"Yes, perhaps you'd better come too, Weasley..."

They went into the infirmary, where Proffessor McGonagall said, "This will be a bit of a shock. There has been another attack...a _double _attack."

Levina's heart sunk and her mind felt fuzzy. Who could have...?

"_Hermione!" _Ron groaned.

Hermione lay utterly still, her eyes open and glassy.

"They were found near the library. I don't suppose either of you can explain this? It was on the floor next to them."

She was holding up a small, circular mirror.

They shook their heads. Levina sat on the bed beside Hermione, just as petrified as she was. "Hermione..." her voice shook.

"I will escort you back to the Gryffindor Tower. I need to address the students in any case."

* * *

"The _Forbidden Forest? _No way! I went in there once and I'm not again!"

"Levina, come on, this is for Hermione and Hagrid," said Harry.

"But...but, last time...Voldemort..."

Ron flinched at the name. "Look, I'm not exactly keen on the idea either, ok?"

Levina looked from Ron to Harry, and with a heavy sigh, she nodded. "Fine, fine, I'll go."

When they reached Hagrid's lonesome house (He'd been taken to Azkaban after being accused), Fang leapt up at them happily, barking.

"C'mon, Fang, we're going for a walk," said Harry, and they opened the house and headed into the forest.

Following a line of spiders, Levina shivering, they made their way off the path and into the depths of the forest.

Levina grabbed Harry's arm, frightened. "I don't like this...shouldn't we stay on the path?"

"Hagrid said to follow the spiders," said Harry. "So that's what we'll do."

After a while, the ground seemed to be sloping downwards. Then, Fang let out a loud, echoing bark.

"What?" said Ron loudly, looking around in the pitch-black darkness.

"There's something moving over there," Harry breathed. "Listen...sounds like something big..."

They listened. Levina gripped Ron's arm, too.

Something big was snapping branches as it carved a path through the trees.

"Oh, no," said Ron. "Oh, no, oh, no, oh-"

"Shut up," said Harry frantically, "It'll hear you."

"Hear _me?" _said Ron in an unnaturally high voice. "It's already heard Fang!"

"Ohh," Levina moaned. "What d'you think it is?"

"What d'you think it's _doing?_" said Harry.

"Probably getting ready to pounce," said Ron.

"D'you think it's gone?" said Harry after a moment.

"Dunno-"

Suddenly something with two bright, blazing lights came shooting into the darkness.

"Harry, Levina!" shouted Ron. "It's our car!"

"_What?" _

_"_Come on!"

Mr. Weasley's car was standing, empty, in the middle of a circle of thick trees.

"It's been here all the time!" said Ron delightedly. "Look at it, the forest's turned it wild..."

"That's insane!" said Levina happily.

"We've lost the trail," said Harry. "Let's go find them..."

Ron didn't speak. He didn't move. His eyes were fixed on something.

Levina was about to turn around when something seized her right leg and lifted her off the ground, so she was hanging upsidedown.

Shrieking, she saw Harry and Ron's legs also leave the ground, clicking noises being heard all around.

"PUT ME DOWN!" Levina shrieked, kicking with her free leg and swinging her arms in terror.

The ground was swarming with spiders as Levina felt herself being carried forward through the forest. In a panic, not wanting to lose Harry and Ron, she looked up to see where they were, but all she could see was six hairy legs, the other two holding her leg tightly.

Craning her neck, she realized they'd reached the ridge of a vast hollow, a hollow that had been cleared of trees, so that the stars shone brightly on the worst scene she'd ever laid eyes on.

Spiders the size of carthorses flooded the area, black and hairy, all with eight legs.

Levina fell heavily to the ground with a _THUD! _Wincing in pain, she saw Fang, Harry, and Ron fall next to her.

The spider that had carried Harry was saying something. _Actually _saying something, his pincers clicking like mad.

"Aragog!" It called. "Aragog!"

And from the middle of the misty, domed web, a spider the size of a small elephant emerged. His eyes were glazed and milky white. He was blind.

"What is it?" he said, his pincers clicking rapidly.

"Men, and a woman," said the spider who had caught Harry.

"Is it Hagrid?" said Aragog, moving closer. Levina edged closer to Ron, who looked petrified.

"Strangers," said the one who'd caught Ron.

"Kill them," said Aragog fretfully, "I was sleeping..."

"We're friends of Hagrid's," said Harry, his voice shaky.

Aragog paused.

"Hagrid has never sent men into my hollow before," he said slowly.

"Hagrid's in trouble," said Harry. "That's why we've come."

"In trouble?" said the aged spider. "But why has he sent you?"

"They think, up at the school, that Hagrid's been setting a-a-something on the students. They've taken him to Azkaban."

Aragog clicked his pincers furiously, and there was an uproar of the same noise from the others.

Levina closed her eyes shut tightly, breathing heavily.

"But that was years ago," said Aragog fretfully, "Years and Years ago. I remember it well. That's why they made him leave the school. They believed that _I _was the monster that dwells in what they call the Chamber of Secrets. They thought Hagrid had opened the Chamber of Secrets and set me free."

"And you...you didn't come from the Chamber of Secrets?"

"I!" said Aragog angrily. "I was not born in the castle. I came from a distant land. A traveler gave me to Hagrid when I was an egg. Hagrid was only a boy, but he cared for me, hidden in a cupboard in the castle, feeding me scraps from the table. Hagrid is my good friend, and a good man. When I was discovered, and blamed for the death of a girl, he protected me. I lived her in the forest ever since, where Hagrid still visits me. He even found me a wife, Mosag, and you see how our family has grown, all through Hagrid's goodness."

"So you never-never attacked anyone?"

"Never. It would have been in my instinct, but out of respect for Hagrid, I never harmed a human. The body of a girl who was killed was discovered in a bathroom. I never saw any part of the castle but the cupboard in which I grew up. Our kind like the dark and the quiet..."

"But then-do you know what _did _kill that girl?" said Harry. "Because whatever it is, it's back and attacking people again-"

He was cut off by an outbreak of angry clicking around the hollow; large black shapes shifted all around them.

"The thing that lives in the castle," said Aragog, "is an ancient creature we spiders fear above all others. Well do I remember how I pleaded with Hagrid to let me go, when I sensed the beast moving about the school."

"What is it?" said Harry urgently.

More loud clicking, more rustling; the spiders seemed to be closing in.

Levina now grabbed Ron's hand, which was cold, and she trembled with fear.

"We do not speak of it!" said Aragog fiercly. "We do not name it! I never even told Hagrid the name of that creature, though he asked me many, many times."

"We'll just go then," said Harry, seeming to be noticing the rustling all around them.

"Go?" said Aragog slowly. "I think not..."

"But-but-"

"My sons and daughters do not harm Hagrid, on my command. But I cannot deny them fresh meat, when it wanders so willingly into our midst. Goodbye, friend of Hagrid."

There was a tower of spiders surrounding them, clicking furiously as they closed in.

Levina squealed and jumped to her feet, pulling Ron up beside her.

Pulling out her wand along with Harry, she tried to remember every spell she'd every been taught, although she knew it would do not good, there were too many of them.

Suddenly, Mr. Weasley's car came thundering down the slope, its headlights glaring, knocking spiders aside, and screeched to a halt in front of Harry, Ron, and Levina, the doors swinging open.

"Get Fang!" Harry yelled, diving into the front seat.

Ron seized the boarhound around the middle and threw him, yelping, into the back of the car.

Levina dove into the back seat next to him and the doors slammed shut. Ron didn't touch the accelerator, but the car didn't need him; the engine roared and they were off, hitting more spiders. They sped up the slope, out of the hollow, and were soon crashing through the forest, branches whipping the windows.

Panting heavily as the car screeched through the undergrowth at top speed, Levina held on to Fang, who was drooling and scratching at the windows in a panic.

After ten minutes, they pulled out of the edge of the forest and Levina hastily opened the door, Fang shooting out of it towards Hagrid's house.

Toppling over and onto the ground, retching, Levina collapsed in the pumpkin patch.

Ron was being violently sick, so Levina moved over a bit to avoid him, and Harry went into Hagrid's house to get the Invisibility Cloak.

"Follow the spiders," said Ron weakly, wiping his mouth on his sleeve. "I'll never forgive Hagrid. We're lucky to be alive."

"I bet he thought Aragog wouldn't hurt friends of his," said Harry.

"Then he was sorely mistaken," said Levina as Harry held out his hand to help her up.

"That's exactly Hagrid's problem!" said Ron, thumping the wall of the cabin. "He always thinks monsters aren't as bad as they're made out, and look where it got him! A cell in Azkaban! What was the point of sending us in there? What have we found out, I'd like to know?"

"That Hagrid never opened the Chamber of Secrets," said Harry, throwing the cloak over them. "He was innocent."

Ron gave a loud snort.

"Yes, because it was very innocent of him to send us into the forest, where we were carried, not gently, mind you, by giant spiders into their lair!" said Levina in one breath, looking quite mad as she walked fast up to the castle.

When they reached the Gryffindor Common room, Levina collapsed in the girl's dormitory without changing into her pajamas.

Lilypad, concerned, curled up next to her with her tail on her nose, the bell around her neck jingling. She still looked on end, her fur sticking up, as she did most days now. Apparently she sensed something was wrong, too.

Gently fingering the necklace around her neck, Levina wondered whether it even did anything as she laid down and pulled up the sheets. Before she could settle, however, the door burst open and Harry whispered, not wanting to wake anyone up, "Levina! The girl who was killed by the thing in the chamber-_Moaning Myrtle!"_

_

* * *

_

"All those times in the bathroom, and she was just three toilets away," said Ron bitterly at breakfast the next day, "and we could have asked her, and now..."

Levina knew she could very well sneak into the girl's bathroom alone, but Harry and Ron, full of anticipation, wanted to come as well. And since it was on the floor of the first attack, it would make it very difficult for even her to sneak in.

Led to History of Magic by Lockhart, Levina followed beside Harrry and Ron, hoping for a chance to escape to Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"That's right," said Ron, and Levina looked up to see him and Harry talking to Lockhart. What were they doing? "Why don't you leave us here, sir, we've got one more corridor to go-"

"You know, Weasley, I think I will," said Lockhart. "I really should go and prepare for my next class."

And he hurried off.

"Prepare for his next class," Ron sneered after him. "Gone to curl his hair, more like."

They let the rest of the Gryffindors draw ahead of them, then darted down a side passage and headed off towards Moaning Myrtle's bathroom. But just as they were congratulating each other on their brilliant scheme-

"Potter! Weasley! SnowPetal! What are you doing?"

It was Proffessor McGonagall, and her mouth was the thinnest of thin lines.

"We were-we were-" Ron stammered. "We were going to-to go and see-"

"Hermione," said Harry. "We haven't seen her for ages, Proffessor, and we thought we'd sneak into the hospital wing, you know, and tell her the Mandrakes are nearly ready, and, er not to worry-"

"Of course," she said, after a moment, and to Levina's surprise, there was a tear glistening in her beady eye. "Of course, I realize this has been hardest on friends of those who have been...I quite understand. Yes, Potter, of course you may visit Miss Granger. I will inform Proffessor Binns where you've gone. Tell Madame Pomfrey I have given my permission."

And she turned the corner, blowing her nose.

"That," said Ron feverently, "was the best story you've ever come up with."

"Wonder if she did see the attacker, though?" said Ron when they had reached the hospital wing. "Because if she sneaked up on them all, no one'll ever know..."

Suddenly, Harry noticed something and whispered it to Levina and Ron: Hermione had a piece of paper clutched in her hand.

"Try and get it out," Ron whispered.

Once they'd pulled it out, Levina read it over three full times. She looked up at Ron and Harry, amazed. "A snake!" she whispered.

After a brief discussion, they decided to go to the staff room, but when they reached it, the bell never came, but rather, Professor McGonagall's voice magically magnified through the halls.

"_All students to return to their House Dormitories at once. All teachers return to the staffroom. Immediately, please."_

Harry wheeled around to face them. "Not another attack? Not now?"

"Who could it have been?" said Levina, concerned.

"What'll we do?" said Ron, aghast.

"No," said Harry, glancing around. His eyes locked onto an ugly sort of wardrobe full of teacher's cloaks. "In hear. Let's hear what it's all about. Then we can tell them what we've found out."

"Not all of us can fit," said Levina, searching the room. "I'll hide in that cupboard."

Sliding into the cupboard, she left the two doors on it slightly open so she could see through them.

The door banged open and teachers filed into the room, half looking confused, half looking scared. Then Proffessor McGonagall arrived.

"It has happened," she told the silent staff room. "A student has been taken by the monster. Right into the Chamber itself."

Proffessor Flitwick let out a squeal. Proffessor Sprout clapped her hands over her mouth. Snape gripped the back of a chair very hard and said, "How can you be sure?"

"The Heir of Slytherin," said Proffessor McGonagall, who was very white, "left a message. Right underneath the first one. _'Her Skeleton will lie in the Chamber forever."_

Proffessor Flitwick burst into tears.

"Who is it?" said Madam Hooch, who had sunk, weak-kneed, into a chair. "Which student?"

"Ginny Weasley," said Proffessor McGonagall.

Levina gasped silently, and her heart sunk. _Ginny _was taken? She peeked an anxious glance at the wardrobe where Ron and Harry were.

"We shall send all the students home tomorrow," said Proffessor McGonagall. "This is the end of Hogwarts. Dumbledore always said..."

The staffroom door banged open again. Lockhart appeared in the doorway, beaming.

"So sorry-dozed off-what have I missed?"

He didn't seem to notice that all the teachers were looking murderous towards him. Snape stepped forward.

"Just the man," he said. "The very man. A girl has been snatched by the monster, Lockhart. Taken into the Chamber Of Secrets itself. Your moment has come at last."

Lockhart blanched.

"That's right, Gilderoy," chipped in Proffessor Sprout. "Weren't you saying just last night that you've known all along where the entrance to the Chamber of Secrets is?"

"I-well, I-" spluttered Lockhart.

"Yes, didn't you tell me you were sure you knew what was inside it?" piped up Proffessor Flitwick.

"D-did I? I don't recall-"

"I certainly remember you were saying you were sorry you hadn't had a crack at the monster before Hagrid was arrested," said Snape. "Didn't you say that the whole affair had been bungled, and that you should have been given a fair rein from the first?"

"I-I really never-you may have misunderstood-"

"We'll leave you to it, then, Gilderoy," said Proffessor McGonagall. "Tonight will be an excellent time to do it. We'll make sure everyone's out of your way. You'll be able to tackle the monster all by yourself . A free rein at last."

"V-very well," said Gilderoy, lip trembling. "I'll-I'll be in my office, getting-getting ready."

And he left the room.

"Right," said Proffessor McGonagall, whose nostrils were flared, "that's got _him_ out from under our feet. The Heads of Houses should go and inform their students what has happened. Tell them the Hogwarts Express will take them home first thing tomorrow. Will the rest of you please make sure no students have been left outside their dormitories. "

The teachers rose and left, one by one.

* * *

It was the worst day possible. Levina, Fred, George, Ron, and Harry were sitting together in a corner, not saying anything to each other. Levina was stroking LilyPad's fur sadly, doing her best to try and help the Weasleys, which proved to be difficult.

"D'you know what?" said Ron after Fred and George had gone up to their dorm. "I think we should go and see Lockhart. Tell him what we know. He's going to try and get into the Chamber. We can tell him where we think it is, and tell him it's a basilisk in there."

"It's worth a try," said Levina, setting Lilypad down.

Everyone was so miserable, and felt so sorry for the Weasleys, that no one tried to stop them as they left the portrait hole.

When they reached his door, Harry knocked and Lockhart's eye appeared through the tiniest crack in the door.

"Oh-Mr. Potter-Mr. Weasley-Miss SnowPetal-" he said, opening the door a bit wider. "I'm rather busy at the moment-if you would be quick-"

"Proffessor, we have some information for you," said Harry. "We think it'll help you."

"Er-well-it's not terribly-" He looked very uncomfortable. "I mean-well-all right-"

He opened the door and they entered.

The office had been almost completely stripped. Two large trunks stood open on the floor.

"Are you going somewhere?" said Harry as Levina eyed the robes and photographs suspicously.

"Er, well, yes," said Lockhart, ripping off a poster of himself. "Urgent call-unavoidable- got to go-"

"What on _earth _are you talking about?" said Levina.

"What about my sister?" said Ron jerkily.

"Well, as to that-most unfortunate-" He avoided their eyes as he emptied stuff from a drawer. "No one regrets more than I-"

"You're the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher!" said Harry. "You can't go now! Not with all the Dark stuff going on here!"

"Well-I must say-when I took the job-nothing in the job description-didn't expect-"

"You mean you're _running away_?" said Harry disbelievingly. "After all the stuff you did in your books-"

"Books can be misleading."

"You wrote them!"

"My dear boy, do use your common sense. My books wouldn't have sold half as well if people didn't think _I'd _done all those things. No one wants to read about some ugly Armenian warlock, even if he did save a village from werewolves. He'd look dreadful on the front cover. No dress sense at all. And the witch who banished the Bandon Banshee had a harelip. I mean, come on..."

"So you've just been taking credit from what a load of other people have done?" said Harry incredulously.

"Harry, Harry," said Lockhart, "it's not nearly as simple as that. There was work involved. I had to track these people down. Ask them exactly how they managed to do what they did. Then I had to put a Memory Charm on them so they wouldn't remember doing it. If there's one thing I pride myself on, it's memory charms. No, it's been a lot of work, Harry."

"You're a fraud!" shouted Levina angrily.

He closed the trunks.

"Let's see..." he said. "I think that's everything. Yes, only one thing left."

He pulled out his wand and turned to them.

"Awfully sorry, you three, but I'll have to put a Memory Charm on you now. Can't have you blabbing my secrets all over the place. I'd never sell another book-"

"_Expelliarmus!" _

Levina and Harry said it together, so it made a large impact and blasted him backwards. His wand went flying, Ron caught it, and tossed it out an open window.

"Shouldn't have let Proffessor Snape teach us that one," said Harry furiously, kicking Lockhart's trunk aside. Lockhart was looking feebly up at them, Harry's and Levina's wands still pointed at him.

"What d'you want me to do?" said Lockhart weakly. "I don't know where the Chamber of Secrets is. There's nothing I can do."

"We figured," said Levina through clenched teeth. "I vote we give him to Aragog."

"I second that!" said Ron.

"You're in luck," said Harry, forcing Ron to his feet. "We think _we _know where it is. _And _what's inside it. Let's go."

When they reached Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, they found her on the tank on the end of the toilet.

"Oh, it's you," she said when she saw Harry and Levina. "What do you want this time?"

"To ask you how you died," said Harry.

Myrtle's whole aspect changed at once. She looked flattered.

"Oooh, it was dreadful," she said with relish. "It happened right in here. I died in this very stall. I remember it so well. I'd hidden because Olive Hornby was teasing me about my glasses. The door was locked, and I was crying, and I heard somebody come in. They said something funny. A different language, I think it must have been. Anyway, what really got me was that it was a _boy, _so I unlocked the door to tell him to go and use his own toilet, and then-" Myrtle swelled importantly, her face shining. "I _died_."

"How?" said Harry.

"No idea," said Myrtle in hushed tones. "I just remember seeing a pair of great, big yellow eyes. My whole body sort of seized up, and then I was floating away..." She looked dreamily at Harry. "And then I came back again. I was determined to haunt Olive Hornby, you see. Oh, she was sorry she'd ever laughed at my glasses."

"Where exactly did you see the eyes?" said Harry.

"Somewhere there," said Myrtle, pointing vaguely toward the sink in front of the toilet.

Levina, Harry, and Ron hurried over to it. Lockhart was standing well back, a look of utter terror on his face.

It looked like a regular old sink. They examined every inch of it, inside and out, including the pipes below. And then they saw it: Scratched on the side of one of the copper taps was a tiny snake.

"The tap's never worked," said Myrtle brightly as Harry tried to turn it.

"Then what do we do?" said Levina, trying to turn the tap right and left.

"Harry," said Ron. "Say something. Something in Parseltongue."

"But-" Harry stared at the tiny engraving hard.

"Open up," he said.

It didn't sound remotely like a snake.

Harry looked at Ron and Levina, who shook their heads. "English."

Looking back at the sink, Harry looked determined.

A sudden horrible rasping noise came from his mouth as he spoke. Levina grinned; it had worked.

The tap glowed a brilliant white light and began to spin. The sink began to spin out of sight, leaving a wide pipe exposed underneath.

"Whoa," said Levina in awe. "That's not something you see every day.

"I'm going down there," said Harry.

"Me too," said Ron.

"Agreed," said Levina.

There was a pause.

"Well, you hardly seem to need me," said Lockhart, with a shadow of his old smile."I'll just-"

They all pointed their wands at him.

"You can go first," Ron snarled.

White-faced and wandless, Lockhart approached the opening.

"Boys," he said, "Boys, what good will it do?"

"I'.," Levina muttered sharply through gritted teeth; that had been at least the third time that year someone had addressed their trio as 'Boys'.

"Awfully sorry," said Lockhart to Levina, and Harry jabbed him in the back with his wand. Lockhart slid his legs into the pipe.

"I really don't think-" he started to say, but Ron gave him a push, and he slid out of sight.

Harry quickly followed, then Ron.

Hesitating for a moment, Levina slid in behind them.

It was like rushing down an endless, slimy, dark slide.

Levina saw pipes leading in other directions, but none as wide as the on they were in. They must have been below the dungeons.

Jus then, she shot out and landed on top of Ron, crashing onto the damp floor.

"Sorry," Levina apologized, standing up and wiping off her robes. "Where are we?"

"We must be miles under the school," said Harry.

"Under the lake, probably," said Ron, squinting at the damp walls.

"Then it would be bad if there was a leak," said Levina, looking up at the ceiling.

"_Lumos!" _muttered Harry to his wand. "C'mon."

Walking ahead, Levina shivered as she glanced around. How big exactly was the snake?

"Remember," said Harry, "any sign of movement, close your eyes right away."

But the tunnel was quiet as the grave, except for a crunching sound as Ron stepped on what appeared to be a rat skull. The floor was littered with small bones of animals.

"Harry, Levina-there's something up there-" said Ron hoarsley, grabbing their shoulders.

There was an outline of something huge and curled lying right across the tunnel. It wasn't moving.

"Maybe it's asleep," Harry breathed.

"Let's get a closer look," whispered Levina, striding up to it.

"Wait, Levina, no!" hissed Ron, eyes wide.

Levina found herself standing over a giant snake skin. It must have been twenty feet long.

"Blimey," said Ron weakly.

There was sudden movement behind them; Gilderoy Lockhart's knees had given way.

"Get up," said Ron sharply, pointing his wand at Lockhart.

Lockhart got to his feet-then he dived at Ron, knocking him to the ground.

Levina sprung back towards them to help, but it was too late: Lockhart had Ron's wand.

"The adventure ends here, boys. And girl," he added to Levina, who now also had her wand out. "I shall take a bit of this skin back to the school, tell them I was too late to save the girl, and that you two _tragically _lost your minds at the sight of her mangled body-say goodbye to your memories!"

He raised Ron's Spellotaped wand high over his head and yelled, "_Obliviate!"_

The wand exploded with the force of a small bomb. Levina fled beside Harry out of the way, slipping over the snake skin, and ducked away from chunks of tunnel ceiling that were thundering to the floor.

The next thing they knew, Levina and Harry were alone beside a solid wall of broken rock.

"Ron! Are you ok? Ron!"

"I'm here!" came Ron's muffled voice from behind the rockfall. "I'm ok-this git's not, though-he got blasted by the wand-"

There was a dull thud and a loud "ow!" It sounded as though Ron had just kicked Lockhart in the shins.

"What now?" Ron's voice said, sounding desperate. "We can't get through-it'll take ages..."

"Try to dig through!" Levina insisted, trying to pry a large rock out of the way. It was no use.

"Wait there," Harry called to Ron. "Wait with Lockhart...Levina and I will go on...if we're not back in an hour..."

There was a very pregnant pause.

"I'll try and shift some of this rock," said Ron, who seemed to be trying to keep his voice steady. "So you can-can get back through. And Harry-"

"See you in a bit," said Harry.

"Bye, Ron," said Levina shakily.

Levina and Harry walked silently side-by-side down the tunnel, which took many twists and turns. Finally, they reached a solid wall ahead on which two entwined serpents were carved, their eyes set with great, glinting emeralds.

They approached it hesitantly.

"Parseltongue again?" Levina guessed.

Harry's voice yet again changed into a low, faint hiss.

The serpents parted as the wall cracked open, the halves slid smoothly out of sight, and shaking from head-to-toe, they walked inside.

* * *

**So how was this chapter? I know, I know, there was hardly any Draco at all, but come Book Three there should be a lot more! (I hope)**

**Review, and I'll be very happy! Chapter seven should be the last chapter, I think, so be ready!**

**Things to come: The Heir of Slytherin, the Basilisk, Ginny, and more!**

**See you in chapter seven! :)**


	7. Farewell, till next year

****

Ready for the conclusion to Book Two?

**Disclaimer: I don't own Tom Riddle, his diary, or his basilisk.**

They were standing at the end of a very long, dimly lit chamber. Towering Stone pillars entwined with more carved serpents rose to support a ceiling lost in darkness, casting long, black shadows through the odd, greenish gloom that filled the place.

Heart beating fast, Levina took Harry's hand oncemore and they looked at each other silently before pulling out their wands and moving forward between the columns. Levina's eyes were stretched wide; she wondered how she would be able to close them when the Basilisk appeared.

Then, as they drew level with the last pair of pillars, a statue high as the Chamber itself loomed into view, standing against the back wall.

Levina craned her neck to look up into the giant face above: It was ancient and monkeyish, with a long, thin beard that fell almost to the bottom of the wizard's sweeping stone robes, where two enormous gray feet stood on the smooth Chamber floor. And between the feet, facedown, lay a small, black-robed figure with flaming-red hair.

"_Ginny!" _Harry muttered, sprinting to her and dropping to his knees.

Levina followed close behind and slid onto the floor next to Harry. "Ginny? Ginny, hey! Wake up!"

"Ginny-don't be dead-please don't be dead-" He flung his wand aside, grabbing Ginny's shoulders, and turned her over. Her face was as white as marble, and cold, yet her eyes were closed, so she wasn't petrified. But then she must be-

"Ginny, please wake up," Harry muttered desperately, shaking her.

Levina felt her forehead, which was icy cold. "Ginny, come on! Wake up, wake up!"

"She won't wake," said a soft voice.

Levina spun around on her knees.

A tall, black-haired boy was leaning against the nearest pillar, watching. He was strangely blurred around the edges, as though Levina were looking at him through a misted window.

"Tom- _Tom Riddle?" _gasped Harry.

"Wait-the guy in the-the diary?" asked Levina, eyes widening.

Riddle nodded, not taking his eyes off Harry's face

"What d'you mean, she won't wake?" Harry said desperately. "She's not-she's not-?"

"She's still alive," said Riddle. "But only just."

Levina stared at him. "Harry, I thought you said-said that he was in the diary?"

"Are you a ghost?" Harry said uncertainly, ignoring Levina.

"A memory," said Riddle quietly. "Preserved in a diary for fifty years."

He pointed toward the floor near the statue's giant toes. Lying opren there was the little black diary Harry had found in Moaning Myrtle's bathroom.

"How...?" Levina pondered, but she didn't have time to wonder about it. She turned away from Riddle to look at Ginny.

"You've got to help me, Tom," said Harry. "We've got to get her out of here. There's a basilisk...I don't know where it is, but it could be along any moment...Please, help me-"

Riddle didn't move. Harry managed to hoist Ginny half off the floor, and bent down.

"Did you see-?"

Riddle was twirling Harry's wand between his long fingers.

"Hey, Harry, isn't that...?" Levina suddenly felt beside her, and her wand was gone, too. She looked up and saw it tucked in his robe pocket.

"Hey!"

"Thanks," said Harry, stretching out his hand for it.

A smile curled the corner's of Riddle's mouth. He continued to twirl it idly.

"Listen," said Harry urgently, and Levina rushed forward to help him support Ginny. "_We've got to go! _If the basilisk comes-"

"It won't come until it's calledm" said Riddle calmly.

"What d'you mean?" he said. "Look, give me my wand, I might need it-"

Riddle's smile broadened.

"You won't be needing it," he said.

"What?" said Levina, taking a step towards him and letting go of Ginny. "Riddle-or, whatever your name is, give it here-"

"What d'you mean, I won't be-?" said Harry.

"I've waited a long time for this, Harry Potter," said Riddle. "For the chance to see you. To speak to you. And you brought Levina SnowPetal, how kind of you. Two tasks done at once."

Levina shuddered. "How do you know my name?"

Harry seemed impatient. "Look, I don't think you get it. We're in the _Chamber of Secrets. _We can talk later-"

"We're going to talk now," said Riddle, smiling broadly, and he pocketed Harry's wand with Levina's.

Harry stared blankly at him. "How did Ginny get like this?"

"Well, that's an interesting question. And quite a long story. I suppose the real reason Ginny Weasley's like this is because she opened her heart and spilled all her secrets to and invisible stranger."

"What are you talking about?' said Harry.

"The diary," said Riddle. "_My _diary. Little Ginny's been writing in it for months and months, telling me all her pitiful worries and woes-how her brothers _tease _her, how she had to come to school with secondhand robes and books, how" -Riddle's eyes glinted- "how she didn't think famous, good, great Harry Potter would _ever_ like her..."

Levina turned to look at Harry, but his eyes were locked on Riddle.

"It's very _boring_, having to listen to the silly troubles of an eleven-year-old girl. But I was patient. I wrote back. I was sympathetic, I was kind. Ginny simply _loved _me. _No one's ever understood me like you, Tom...I'm so glad I've got this diary to confide in...It's like having a friend I can carry around in my pocket."_

Riddle laughed a high, cold laugh that didn't suit him.

"If I say it myself, Harry, I've always been able to charm the people I needed. So Ginny poured out her sould to me, and her soul happened to be exactly what I wanted...I grew stronger and stronger on a diet of her deepest fears, her darkest secrets. I grew enough to start feeding Miss Weasley a few of _my _secrets, to start pouring a little of _my _soul back into _her..."_

"What d'you mean?" said Harry.

"Just spill it out already," said Levina, growing angrier and more impatient.

Riddle merely smiled at her and turned back to Harry. "Haven't you guessed yet, Harry Potter?" he said softly. "Ginny Weasley opened the Chamber of Secrets. She strangled the school roosters and daubed threatening messages on the walls. She set the serpent on the four Mudbloods, and the Squib's cat."

"No," Harry whispered. Levina felt her heart sinking deeper into her chest.

"Yes," said Riddle calmly. "Of course, she didn't _know _what she was doing at first. It was very amusing. I wish you could have seen her new diary entries...far more interesting, they became..._Dear Tom, I think I'm losing my memory. There are rooster feathers all over my robe and I don't know how they go there. Dear Tom, I can't remember what I did on the night of Halloween, but a cat was attacked and I've got paint all down my front. Dear Tom, Percy keeps telling me I'm pale and not myself. I think he suspects me...There was another attack today and I don't know where I was. Tom, what am I going to do? I think I'm going mad...I think I'm the one attacking everyone, Tom!"_

And Riddle explained everything in fine, exquisite, detail, making Levina's anger raise to the breaking point, even with her necklace on. He was _Voldemort, _the very man who'd killed Levina's mother and father, the one who'd murdered Harry's parents, the very one...

Suddenly, as Harry and Riddle were arguing over Dumbledore, music came from somewhere. As it rose and rose, suddenly flames erupted at the top of the nearest pillar.

A crimson bird the size of a swan had appeared. It's golden talons were gripping a ragid bundle.

A second later, the bird was flying straight at Harry. It dropped the ragid thing it was carrying at his feet, then landed heavily on Harry's shoulder.

"That's a pheonix..." said Riddle.

"_Fawkes!" _Harry breathed.

"Where-where did that come from?" said Levina. "What is it Harry?"

"Dumbledore's phoenix."

"And _that-" _said Riddle, now eyeing the ragid thing it had dropped, "that's the old school Sorting Hat-"

And it was. Patched, frayed, and motionless.

Riddle laughed again.

"This is what Dumbledore sends his defender! A songbird and an old hat! Do you feel brave, Harry Potter? Do you feel safe now?"

Levina held Ginny for Harry, who now turned to Riddle with incredible dislike, as they seethed at each other on how Harry was alive, how he had survived that night...

"Now, Harry, I'm going to teach you a little lesson. Let's match the powers of Lord Voldemort, Heir of Salazar Slytherin, against the famous Harry Potter, and the best weapons Dumbledore can give him..."

Levina swallowed hard. What was he about to do? She wished she had her wand.

And Riddle walked towards the stone Slytherin, opened his mouth wide, and hissed something in Parseltongue. Harry tensed up, and Levina gasped.

Slytherin's gigantic stone face was moving. His mouth was opening, wider and wider, to make a huge black hole.

And something was stirring inside the statue's mouth. Something was slithering up from it's depths.

Levina backed away and Fawkes took flight from Harry's shoulder. Harry shouted, "Don't leave me!", but what chance did a phoenix have against a basilisk?

Something huge hit the stone floor of the Chamber. Shutting her eyes tightly and grabbing for the stone wall, she ducked down, trembling.

Then she heard Riddle's voice hiss something in Parseltongue.

The basilisk was moving towards them at top speed. Levina dove blindly out of the way and ran straight into a wall. In a panic, she could hear Harry's footsteps as well, echoing her own.

Something was happening. There was the sound of explosive spitting and something crashing nearby.

"_NO!" screamed Riddle. "LEAVE THE BIRD! LEAVE THE BIRD! THE BOY IS BEHIND YOU! YOU CAN STILL SMELL HIM! KILL HIM!"_

Levina opened her eyes, unable to take not looking, and saw that the Basilisk, green and tall, and as enormous as an oak tree, was swaying. It's yellow eyes were bloody and Fawkes was flying around him. He had been blinded.

Harry had the Sorting Hat on his head and was running. When he saw her he called, "Levina! The snake can't see you! Run!"

Levina took off running and raced next to him. Side-by-side, they dashed away, Harry holding the hat firmly to his head. Suddenly, something slipped slightly from the hat, gleaming silver. It was a sword.

The basilisk lunged blindly. Levina leapt away from its gaping jaws, terrified. It had hear her shriek, however, and went right for her. She screamed again and ducked, shielding her head with her hands.

Something grabbed her hand and dragged her to her feet, the snake just barely ramming into her. It was Harry, pulling her out of the way.

"GO!" He shouted to her. "Get out of here, it's me it wants!"

"I don't care, I'm not leaving you!" She shouted back, rushing in no particular direction.

Suddenly, the basilisk randomly struck at Harry. Forgetting that the snake wasn't just a bludger, she threw herself in between them as Harry jumped out of the way. Warm blood drenched her right side, and she shrieked in pain and agony and fell to the ground, breathing heavily.

Shaking all over, her eyes barely open, she saw more red liquid splatter the ground, and there was a tremendous _THUD!_

She opened her eyes. The basilisk had fallen over, it's head and fang caked in blood. The other fang was in Harry's arm, and, wincing, he pulled it out.

"H..." she panted, sitting up painfully. "Harry?"

"Fawkes, you were fantastic, Fawkes..."

And she blacked out.

When she woke again, Harry and Ginny were at her side, both of them, too, covered in blood. Where Harry's wound had been was normal skin; where had the deep cut gone?

"Harry, Ginny!" She sat up with some difficulty.

"It's all right, Fawkes healed your side, too," said Harry. "Are you ok?"

"Define 'ok'," said Levina. "All right, Ginny?"

Ginny was sobbing. "I-I-I'm o-ok..."

"Thanks for taking the blow for me," said Harry. "You've got to stop doing that."

"What happened?" asked Levina, managing a small smile. She looked down at where her wound had been. It was gone.

"Phoenix tears have healing powers," said Harry. "I killed Riddle's diary with the basilisk fang."

"But what-?"

"I'll tell you later," said Harry, and with the help of Ginny, Levina got to her feet.

Fawkes was waiting for them at the Chamber entrance, hovering in the air.

They stepped over the motionless coils of dead basilisk, through the echoing room, and back into the tunnel.

After a few minutes' progress, they could hear the sound of slowly shifting rock.

"Ron!" Harry yelled, speeding up. "Ginny's ok! We've got her!"

Ron gave a strangled cheer. Levina could see his face peeking out from behind a sizable gap in the rockfall.

"_Ginny!" _Ron thrust an arm through the gap in the rock to pull her through first. "You're alive! I don't believe it! What happened? How-what-where did that bird come from?"

"He's Dumbledore's," said Harry, squeezing through after Levina.

"How come you've got a _sword?" _

"We''ll explain when we get out of here," said Harry, with a sideways glance at Ginny, who was crying harder than ever.

"But-"

"_Ron," _said Levina hotly, looking at Ginny, who was now sobbing hysterically.

"Later," said Harry shortly. "Where's Lockhart?"

"Back there," said Ron, jerking his head up the tunnel and towards the pipe."He's in a bad way. Come and see."

Led by Fawkes, they walked all the way back to the mouth of the pipe. Gilderoy Lockhart was itting there, humming placidly to himself.

"His memory's gone," said Ron. "The Memory Charm backfired. Hit him instead of us. He hasn't got a clue who he is, or where he is, or who we are. I told him to come and wait here. He's a danger to himself."

Lockhart peered up good-naturedly up ath them all.

"Hello," he said. "Odd sort of place, isn't it? Do you live here?"

"No," said Ron, raising his eyebrows at Levina and Harry.

"Have you thought how we're going to get back up this?" said Harry as he looked up through the dark pipe.

Ron shook his head, but Fawkes flew down and offered Harry his long tail.

"He looks like he wants you to grab hold," said Ron, looking perplexed. "But you're much too heavy for a bird to pull up there-"

"Fawkes," said Harry, "is no ordinary bird. We've got to hold on to each other. Ginny, grab Ron's hand. Lockhart-"

"He means you," said Ron sharply to Lockhart.

"You hold Ginny's other hand. Levina, hold Lockhart's."

Levina didn't like this idea, but she took Lockhart's hand and, in a rush of wings, they were flying at top speed back up the pipe.

"Amazing! Amazing! This is just like magic!" said Lockhart.

Before they knew it, they'd all hit the floor of Moaning Myrtle's bathroom, and the sink slid back into place as Levina rose shakily to her feet, Lockhart adjusting his hat.

Myrtle goggled at them.

"You're alive," she said blankly to Harry.

"There's no need to sound so dissappointed," said Harry, wiping flecks of blood and slime off his glasses.

"Oh, well...I'd just been thinking...if you had died, you'd have been welcome to share my toilet," said Myrtle, blushing silver.

Levina tried to disguise her look of disgust under her hair as they left her bathroom.

"Ugh!" said Ron as they entered the dark corridor. "Harry! I think Myrtle's grown _fond _of you! You've got competition, Ginny!"

But tears were now flooding silently down Ginny's face.

"Where now?" said Ron, with and anxious look at Ginny.

Fawkes was leading the way, and they found themselves outside Proffessor McGonagall's office.

Harry knocked and pushed open the door.

* * *

For a moment there was silence as Harry, Levina, Ron, and Ginny stood in the doorway, covered in much and slime and (in Harry and Levina's case) blood. There was a scream

"_Ginny!"_

It was Mrs. Weasley, who'd been sitting crying in front of the fire. She leapt to her feet, closely followed by Mr. Weasley, and they both flung themselves on their daughter.

Proffessor McGonagall was taking great, steadying gasps while clutching her chest. Fawkes went whooshing past and landed on Dumbledore's shoulder, and Levina, Harry, and Ron found themselves being swept into a close embrace by Mrs. Weasley.

"You saved her! You saved her! _How _did you do it?"

"I think we'd all like to know that," said Proffessor McGonagall weakly.

Harry hesitated, placed the sword, hat, and damaged diary on Dumbledore's desk. For nearly a quarter of an hour, Harry told them every last detail, from the voices, to Aragog, to their escape on Fawkes.

And Levina tipped to the left and hit the wall. Everyone stared at her.

"Miss SnowPetal, are you quite all right?" asked Proffessor McGonagall.

"Yes, well...no, but..." Levina pryed herself from the wall.

"Go see Madam Pomfrey," said McGonagall. "Have her give you something."

Exiting her office, Levina made her way down the empty hallway, worn-out and feeling as though she might tip over again.

"SnowPetal?"

Levina looked up into the usual drawling face of Draco Malfoy, but his expression was different; apparently he saw all the blood on her.

"What do you want?" she muttered, words slurred as she brushed past him.

"What happened?" He appeared to sound unconcerned.

"That's none of your business."

"There's blood on you."

"What of it?"

Levina glared at him. He was so irritating...couldn't she have run into someone from Gryffindor?

"Where are you going?"

"To the hospital wing."

For a moment, silence. Levina could have sworn there was a flicker of concern on his face, just maybe...but then, he turned, sneering, snorted as if she was something ridiculous, and headed in the opposite direction.

* * *

Levina had never been to a better Hogwarts feast. Everybody was in their pajamas, and the celebration lasted almost all night.

They'd won the House Cup for the second year in a row, Hermione had run up cheering, "You solved it! You solved it!", Hagrid was back, and Fred and George Weasley each gave her a tight hug and a kiss on the cheek and thanked her for helping save Ginny.

The exams were canceled, Lockhart was not to return as the Defense Against the Dark Arts teacher, and Levina had never felt so loved by so many people before.

The rest of the final term passed in a haze if blazing sunlight, and Harry told Levina that Lucius Malfoy had been sacked as school governor. Ginny Weasley, too, was happy again.

Too soon, it was time for the journey home on The Hogwarts Express. Harry, Ron, Hermione, Fred, George, Ginny, and Levina got a compartment to themselves. They made the most of the last few hours in which they were allowed to do magic before the holidays. They played Exploding Snap, set off the last of Fred and George's fireworks, and practiced disarming each other by magic. Levina wasn't very good at it, but Harry excelled in it.

"Send me letters," said Levina to Fred and George, "about your new fireworks that you've invented, ok? Now that I have Artemis, I won't have to use that owl I've been borrowing from Diagon Alley..."

The Hogwarts Express finally stopped.

"This is called a telephone number," Harry told Ron, pulling out his quill and scribbling his number down three times. Handing one to Hermione, Ron, and Levina he added, "I told your dad how to use a telephone last summer-he'll know. Call me at the Dursley's, okay? I can't stand another two months with only Dudley to talk to."

"Your aunt and uncle will be proud, though, won't they?" said Hermione to Levina and Harry as they got off the train and joined the crowd heading to the enchanted barrier. "When they hear what you did this year?"

"Ha," said Levina. "Are you joking? They hardly know I exist, Hermione..."

"Proud?" said Harry. "Are you crazy? All those times I could've died, and I didn't manage it? They'll be furious..."

And together they walked back through the barrier to the Muggle World.

* * *

**YES! Whoo, that's a relief...Book Two is done!**

**Of course, now I have to work on Book Three.**

**Anyways, Review, tell me what you think, and I'll get Chapter One of Book Three posted sometime, so look for it!'**

**Thanks :)**


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